It’s already survived weeks of intensive product testing by students, but last week, the new playground at Duncan J. Schoular elementary school was officially unveiled.
It was a long time coming for Lisa Magee, chair of the school’s parent council, who has been raising money for the playground, through barbecues, golf tournaments, catalogue campaigns, for nearly eight years.
“We’ve done everything except stand on our heads,” said Magee of the $27,000 that had to be raised. The structure was erected on Friday, Oct. 26. While use of the playground was staggered at first, the students “were happy once it was a free-for-all,” said Magee.
Just before last year’s golf tournament, Magee said she knew that they would be close to their target but, not wanting to get her hopes up, told herself that it would likely be another year. But then, an anonymous angel showed up out of the blue.
“We had an anonymous donor step up with the last $7,000,” she said. “It feels amazing.”
Magee and fellow parents helped pick the play structures features.
“We wanted as many ways up as possible so that many people can go up on it,” she said, pointing to the double slides, which are perfect for kids racing each other to the bottom. “More playing, more doing, less watching.”
But the parents are not resting, watching, on their laurels either. They have a new goal to add a few more elements to the structure, such as monkey bars and another set of swings.
“I think we will leave it (fundraising) for a minute,” she said, with the next likely initiative to be getting smart boards for the classrooms, “to keep the kids up to speed.”