New playground will be built at Glenwood Elementary

Glenwood Elementary School students will have another reason to look forward to recess after volunteers finish a long-awaited playground reconstruction project this month.

The school’s wooden playground — which is more than 30 years old — is decrepit and unsafe for students.

“It’s going to get done. I am quite confident,” said Kate Underhill, PTA president for Glenwood Elementary.

Fundraising for the project was one of the school’s central goals last year.

Underhill said the school started fundraising for the playground last fall, and fundraisers raised more than $35,000 — surpassing the original target of $30,000.

The school raised $20,000 through a silent auction in May, classroom penny drives and other fundraising events.

The school was awarded an additional $15,000 grant in June from Let’s Play, an organization sponsored by the nonprofit KaBOOM! and Dr Pepper Snapple Group.

“As long as the need exists, we will be there to fill the gap,” said Mike Vietti, spokesman for KaBOOM!.

The school was awarded the grant after winning a nationwide video contest. The video featured Glenwood students describing what they would like to see in the playground.

“I’m most excited about possibly having a zipline,” said fifth grade student Maddie Minton. “I’m just excited to see how it turns out.”

While the new playground won’t have a zipline, the project will bring a slide to Glenwood — a first for the school. It will also have a climbing wall, a lookout tower, hanging wheels and other equipment.

Sally Taylor, the head of the school’s playground improvement committee, said the playground will combine traditional and new elements.

“The newer stuff introduces elements of movement and upper-body strength that will be more challenging for the older kids,” she said.

The playground was designed for third through fifth grade students, but younger students are also excited.

The playground will be completed during a Community Build Weekend on Oct. 27 and 28.
Community volunteers will help with the actual construction of the playground.

Taylor said about 45 volunteers have signed up but more would be helpful.

She is determined to finish the project this month since students are anticipating the new playground.

“They’re getting excited,” Taylor said. “It’s a cute blend of older kids not wanting to let go of something they love, but with little kids excited about something new.”

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