Luce playground organizers grateful for support

From a child’s viewpoint, the new playground behind the Luce School is a sight to behold, a colorful array of twists and turns just begging to be climbed and explored. To the adults who had a hand in building it, however, the structure is special for a different reason — standing as a kind of metal monument to the cooperative spirit of the Canton community.

Financed entirely by private donations and fundraisers, and conceived, planned and executed by parent volunteers from the Luce CAPT, the new playground was an ambitious and expensive endeavor that took more than a year to complete. The bulk of the structure was installed on July 16 as part of a CAPT-sponsored “community build,” and the very last piece — a criss-cross netting that had to be backordered — was slated to be added sometime this week.

Once that final piece is installed, the playground will be officially “open for business,” according to Luce CAPT President Eileen Chaput. And while the structure will be limited to Luce students during school hours beginning next month, Chaput said it was built with the whole community in mind and will “definitely be available for anyone in the town to use” whenever school is not in session.

“It is our hope that this new playground will become a destination much like many others in the town,” said Chaput, who also envisions it as a popular spot for younger children attending their siblings’ ballgames.

Located in the outfield on the lower field behind the school, the new playground consists of a 40-by-70-foot area with a main play structure and a separate, six-foot-high “spider” climbing structure, along with a curved balance beam and two wooden benches.

The main structure features many different types of monkey bars and rings, as well as a spiral slide and a criss-cross net that spans two platforms and attaches to the ground. There is also a “DNA Accelerator,” which Chaput described as a “tall, spinning piece” that is moved by a child’s momentum, plus a set of large bongo drums and three separate panels with parts that can be manipulated.

Chaput said all of the items at the new playground are ADA approved and accessible from the ground. The safety surfacing — an engineered wood fiber made specifically for playgrounds — is also ADA approved, and Chaput said a large portion of that product was generously donated by Tony Will from Will Sand & Gravel in Canton.

In fact, Chaput said this project would never have been possible without the generosity of people like Will and countless others.

For instance, in addition to the 40-plus parents and neighbors who came out last month for the community build, the playground organizers also got a major assist from the town DPW, which sent a large crew to help prep the site and assist with the installation. Also lending a hand was Canton-based Absolute Landscaping, which had a crew at the site for two full days to help dig the holes and get the site leveled.

“The DPW, the Recreation Department and the Absolute Landscaping crews volunteered their time in the soaring summer heat for this project,” Chaput said. “They should all be commended because we couldn’t have done it without them.”

Of course, long before any construction could commence, the CAPT members were tasked with raising nearly $35,000 over the course of the year — and that was in addition to all of their “normal” fundraisers that paid for school enrichment programs, field trips, and various “wish list” items for teachers.

Playground Committee members Eileen Chaput and Donna Lennon

The CAPT’s Playground Committee was spearheaded by Chaput, Donna Lennon and Christine Trendell; however, several other members assisted with the effort, including Erin Weitz, Julie Albert, Lynn Flaherty, Katie Colson, Dianne Wright, Kathleen Donovan and Rachel MacPhail. Chaput said Luce Principal Robie Peter was also a “big help” throughout the campaign.

The group held several fundraisers to reach their goal — everything from a shopping day at Legacy Place to a benefit concert featuring local pop group The Varsity Girls. Their largest fundraiser was an evening event at the Knights of Columbus Hall in February that netted over $13,000.

“Many local companies and individuals donated items for that event,” recalled Chaput. “The food was provided by Foley’s Backstreet Grille … Many Luce teachers helped by donating items, as did Mr. Jim Farrington, the Luce custodian. And there were so many other parents who helped — too many to name.”

The CAPT also received several larger donations throughout the year, including $3,000 in memory of Michael Gunning, $2,500 from the Rodman family and $1,500 from the Bank of Canton, as well as a $3,000 grant from the Paul R. Matthews Foundation.

Looking back on the effort, Chaput now freely acknowledges that the organizers had “no idea what [they] were getting into at the beginning,” However, they were determined to see it through, and the local community proved more than willing to lend a hand.

“I would say that this project was a huge success,” concluded Chaput, adding, “I think we did quite well, especially with the current state of the economy.”

Now all they need is an approval from the kids themselves, and judging by the look of the new structure, the CAPT should have no problem finding a crew of eager test pilots.

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Posted by Jay Turner on Aug 17 2011. Filed under News, Schools. Both comments and pings are currently closed.