By Greg Glassner
CP Senior Correspondent
Public playgrounds are in short supply in rural areas like Caroline County. That situation will soon change in the Ladysmith area when a new playground opens up at the Caroline Family Y.
The new facility, which will be open to the public at no charge during daylight hours, will feature a play section for ages 2-5 and a second area for ages 5-12.
The larger apparatus was donated by the Mary Washington Hospital Foundation. It was used by the hospital’s Snowden mental health facility, which no longer treats children. It was dismantled and moved to Caroline.
“It was extremely generous because those larger structures are costly,” said Y Executive Director Paul Gehring. The Y launched a fundraising campaign with a goal of $20,000 to cover dismantling and moving the Snowdon playground structure, purchase new playground equipment for the younger children, and obtain mulch, picnic tables and a fence.
That fundraising campaign is close to the top right now, Gehring said.
In addition, generous donations of funds, materials and services have been made by Aqua Virginia, Luck Stone, the Sakrete plant in Milford, On-Site P.C. and other companies. Hico Services of Doswell donated $4,500 in site work.
Now it all has to be assembled. That will not be too difficult for the larger portion of the playground, which was dismantled and moved in sections.
The new playground arrived in kit form, with the dreaded label, “Some Assembly Required.”
Perhaps it should have said, “A Whole Bunch of Assembly Required.”
Volunteers, including Gehring, Y Board President David Sadler, board member John Bowers, Dwayne Johnson, and Y maintenance supervisor Bernard Vianes have been working at it in their spare time, but a great deal of assembly remains.
Rainy weekend weather also has eliminated a few planned work days.
The Y could use some good men and women who are handy with tools and have some expertise at reading plans to speed up the process.
To volunteer, call the Caroline Family Y at (804) 448-9622 or email Gehring at pgehring@family-ymca.org.
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