Oregon playground Project PLAY to be torn down, replaced

By Vinde Wells

vwells@oglecounty

news.com

Oregon school officials have decided it’s time to replace playground equipment used by youngsters in the school district for almost three decades.

Superintendent Tom Mahoney said July 22 that the castles, twisting walkways, and the slides of Project PLAY (Play Leads to Active Youth), located just outside Oregon Elementary School, will soon be coming down.

“We’ve had an increase in kids getting injuries on Project PLAY, mostly splinters,” he said. “There’s no way to maintain it and guarantee no injuries.”

In the interest of student safety, the demolition will happen before school starts next month, Mahoney said.

The all-wood construction of the unique playground, built by volunteers in 1989, is its downfall, he said.

“Twenty-six years is a long time for something that’s all wood even if it gets treated,” Mahoney said.

Portions of the playground were removed a few years ago and replaced.

Because the playground gets a lot of use in summer, signs have been put up warning the public about the potential for splinters.

Project PLAY was the brainchild of retired teacher Nancy Ryder, Oregon, who had seen a similar Robert Leathers playground in her hometown and immediately believed Oregon should have one.

She and Deb Wuebben were co-chairmen of a committee to get the project off the ground and raise the needed $45,000.

“The idea was to give the children a creative play area — anything that leads to imagination,” Ryder said.

On the other hand, Ryder said she can understand the decision to remove it.

“I’m not surprised that they would want to take it out because it’s high maintenance,” she said.

Ryder said the Leathers company representatives, who designed the playground after getting input from the community, helped with every aspect.

“They told us everything we needed and how to go about it,” Ryder said. “We ordered special pine from Georgia. They [Leathers] were very specific.”

After months of fundraising, including a Pennies for the Playground drive at the elementary school, hundreds of volunteers converged on the school grounds on Oct. 11-15, 1989 for a five-day build to put it all together.

“We had so many people volunteers who were good at so many things,” Ryder said. “We had electricians, carpenters, ministers. It was really neat.”

“There was a diversity of ages of the people who helped,” said retired teacher Marilyn Berg, a member of

the Project PLAY committee. “We had a nursery for the children of the people building, and food was brought in. The whole community came together for it.”

Even the elementary students did their part.

Chris Johnson, 35, Oregon, then a fourth grader, remembers his class soaping screws for the crew of volunteer builders.

Other students washed the tires that were part of the creative play complex.

Mahoney said he appreciates what it took to build the playground.

“This was a community-wide effort,” he said. “We want to show appreciation to everyone who helped build it, maybe with a decommissioning before we demolish it.”

Two playground equipment manufacturers will be consulted about the design of the replacement. No cost estimate is available as yet.

He wants input from the community about what they want to proceed with replacing Project PLAY.

Students will also be asked what they want for new playground equipment.

Community members with ideas are asked to contact Mahoney at the school district office, 206 S. 10th St., Oregon or call 815-732-5300.