During the week of October 22 – 27, 2001, we, the Pickens Youth Athletic Corp., expanded our existing playground by 28,000 sq. ft. The Pickens Playground of Promise was built in six days by approximately 500 volunteers and 4 supervisors from Learning Structures, a New Hampshire based playground development group. For one week, the site was buzzing with volunteer workers transforming the nearly one acre area into a playground filled with approximately 70 play structures.
The structures included a 200-foot challenge course, a climbing wall, an ampitheater, a glider swing, a ten tire bouncer, a wilderness fortress complete with wobbly walk and spiral tube slide, swings (including one for the handicapped), a zip slide, benches and a tot area. The tot area included art panel fencing, a raceway lookout tower complete with slide, spring toys, Carolina crawler, hot rod racers, music wall, sandbox, tic-tac-toe panel, tot and infant swings.
Our vision of planning, designing and constructing a unique community-built playground came to life. People representing every segment of the community came together to help with this project. Senior students from Pickens High School used their service learning experience with the playground as the basis for their “Hero Project.” Students from Pickens Middle School walked down and spent a day volunteering. Art classes from seven area elementary I middle and high schools painted panels that were installed in the fencing as well as the background for the climbing wall. Our project was definitely successful in promoting community awareness and encouraging the development of a service ethic
among our students. Afterall, the success of our future programs will depend on the contributions of our youth as they grow into adulthood.
Seniors and adults that were involved in the build have already agreed to serve (and are doing so) on our “Citizens Oversight Committee.” This committee will serve to create, encourage and enforce programs to maintain the cleanliness, safety and function of the playground. This committee will also help develop programs to continue intergenerational interaction. Relationships created among students and older adults will be sustained through these future programs.
