WAKARUSA — Sure, it won’t be Cedar Point, but the new Wakarusa playground will still be a unique place to play.
Children from town spent a couple of hours Tuesday with designer Dennis Wille, telling them what they would like to see in their playground.
Wille, a designer with Leathers & Associates from Ithaca, N.Y., then presented those plans to the students and parents Tuesday night.
Children wanted a tire swing, wavy slide, shaky bridge, fire pole, climbing wall, snake slide, bouncy bridge, monkey bars, play house, mirror maze, circus cars, train and a unique tree house — to name a few.
Wille jokingly said that he wasn’t able to include the bungee jumping or roller coaster due to lack of space.
Project Playground, which will be built in the downtown park, will honor Diane Brown, a Wakarusa Elementary School nurse, and Lisa Lengacher, co-founder of The Compass, an after school program. Both women died within a short time of each other — Brown from a long battle with cancer and Lengacher unexpectedly.
The design will be priced out piece for piece. The configuration of the initial design may change due to feed back and fund raising, he said.
The playground will be built entirely by volunteers. Volunteer captains will work all five days and be in charge of volunteers that have been put into crews. The build will take place in the fall of 2010 from a Wednesday through a Saturday, with the completion on a Sunday.
“Little pieces of information” will be given out in “little steps,” according to Wille. Volunteers do not need to be skilled laborers. Kids will be involved in the building process in special areas designed for them, he said.
“The outcome is more than just a playground,” Willey said. He encouraged the adults present to “make the dreams of your children come true.”
Volunteer sign-up sheets will be located at Town Hall. They include child care, volunteers, food, public relations, general, materials, tools, construction and fund raising.
Clerk-Treasurer Joyce Hartman and Helen Hoffman, from the clerk’s office, are co-coordinators for the project.
Hartman said the current playground is very old. Hartman and Hoffman talked about what they could do to honor and remember Brown and Lengacher. Both women loved children and felt a playground was something that the children would enjoy.
The project will be funded through fund raising and memorial money.
Wille also helped design the playgrounds in Goshen and Nappanee.
For more information, contact Hartman at wakact@verizon.net, Hoffman at hoffman601@verizon.net or by calling Town Hall at 862-4314.
Local News
Children tell designer what they want
- Local News
-
-
Young scientists compete in Olympic-style event at Goshen College Saturday
Science took center stage in Goshen Saturday morning as 13 area Science Olympiad teams converged on a snow-dusted Goshen College campus to participate in the 2012 Science Olympiad Regional Tournament.
-
Fairfield students building press box
The building trades program at Fairfield High School is tackling a different project this winter, as students construct the school’s new press box at the football field.
-
Lawmakers: Bipartisan cooperation does exist
With a week now past since multitudes descended on Indianapolis for the Super Bowl, local legislators are once again finding their bearings and ready to jump back into the current legislative agend
-
Purchase of GHA office part of downfall?
Looking back, Wayne Kramer thinks he can identify the turning point in which everything went south for the beleaguered Goshen Housing Authority.
-
Family wins Keystone travel trailer
Keystone RV of Goshen, has awarded a Passport travel trailer to a winner in its Rediscover America RV Giveaway.
-
'Pancake Club' makes a difference
They make pancakes — lots of pancakes. The Exchange Club of Elkhart County is even known as “The Pancake Club.”
-
Local boy receives hearing aid help
Seven-year-old Alex Rial is quick with a hug. He has a sweet smile and an engaging personality. He loves going to church and isn’t afraid to talk about his faith. In short, Alex is a special kid.
-
Election 2012: Contests set for primary
There will be races for one County Commissioner seat and seven will seek three at-large posts on the County Council in the Republican primary election this year.
-
Daniels would consider post under GOP president
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who decided last year against a presidential run, says he would consider serving in the Cabinet of a new Republican president but believes it’s “very improbable” the eventual nominee would tap him as a running mate.
-
Finding the perfect filler for your garden
Rose mallow is a great garden filler. It’s origins are the genus malvaceae (mallow family) and if you are like I am, the mallow family gets rather confusing.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Pop Music Superstar Whitney Houston Dies at 48
Whitney Houston's Church Mourns Her Passing
Reaction to Houston's Death at Clive Davis Party
79 Turtles Seized at Shanghai Airport
Severe Cold Wreaks Havoc in China
Fuel Removal Under Way on Capsized Italian Ship
Police: Houston Found Dead in Her Hotel Room
Paul Suffers Narrow Loss to Romney in Maine
Palin Brings Anti-Washington Message to CPAC
Obama Scraps Birth Control Mandate
Navy Names Ship for Gabrielle Giffords
Uzbek Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Kill Obama
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs
Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames
Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
