|
Brownie Scout Troop
#313 with Mayor Clara-Lou Gould and NYS Forrester Lou Sebesta
at Arbor Day Tree Planting on May 1, 2007 |
Phase
I of the play park build was completed in late Fall 2005, only
9 months after the organization got off the ground. It included
preparation of the playground site, purchasing and installing
the play structures, the fence, and a state of the art safety
play surface. The play surface was made possible by a $13,000
grant from the Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation.
Phase II is currently in progress and is almost complete. This
includes the installation of the sandbox, installation of the
stepping stones made by families in our community, installation
of a sculpture by a Beacon artist, donated by Tallix, purchasing
toys and smaller play equipment, and the children's and Lawrence
Way Memorial Garden. The group received a "Youth Garden
Grants Program" award in 2005 from the National Gardening
Association toward creating a child-friendly gardening component
for the playground, as well as a Disney "Minnie Grant"
to purchase additional plants and gardening equipment. Funds
raised in the 2009 Ree Play Sale went towards completing the
garden, planting more trees for beauty and shade, and a reserve
for an anticipated shade structure built by the City of Beacon,
to be built in 2010
Healthy Kids - Play Safe in
the Sun.pdf
Also
anticipated for 2010 is permanent signage that will incorporate
a message board. Members of the Beacon Police Department led
by Officer Robert Sellick have volunteered to install the sign.
Maintenance
of the playground is ongoing, with many parents and caregivers
volunteering their time to keep the playground clean and safe.
|
Empire State Carpenter's
Training Center Apprentices on the new Wee Play Children's Garden
Bridge - October, 2007 |
 |
Wee Play Children's
Park Progress Report - February 2010
Phase I: (Completed)
- Site Prep
- Play surface
installed
- Large play
equipment installed
- Fence installed
Phase II/III:
(Completed)
- Sand Pit excavated
and installed
- Site preparation
(fill, topsoil, rocks, garden hardscaping) completed
- Pavers &
Stepping Stones installed
- Moved &
installed benches in garden area
- Planted 4
trees (two Sugar Maple, one Weeping Cherry, one Eastern Redbud).
- "Caterpillar
Crawl Tube" installed
- Re-installed
fence
- Installed
Bridge
- Sensory/Memorial/
Butterfly Garden planted (completed & continuous!)
- Installed
accessibility path from parking lot
- Install log
circle & other log seating
- Install boxwoods
around Stepping Stones; mulch entire garden area
- Plant row
of four small/medium trees between playgrounds for shade
Phase II (In
Progress):
- Install "Crane"
Sculpture (TBA 2010)
"Crane" by
Insun Kim - Donated by Tallix, Inc. & Insun Kim
Beacon artist Insun Kim
generously donated her Crane sculpture to the Wee Play Children's
Park in late 2005.
The Crane is the traditional
symbol of a long and happy life, and Japanese folklore
tells us that if we fold 1,000 paper cranes, our wish will come
true.
The Crane will serve
as a focal point of the Children's Garden, and will be installed
in the Spring of 2010.
Phase III
(In Progress):
- Install permanent
shade structure over sandbox (TBA 2010)
- Install permanent
signage (Spring 2010)
- Develop &
implement kids' programming (ongoing)
Grateful thanks to Beacon's DPW
and the Highway & Parks Department for all they do. |
