By Jon Campisi
Union Leader Correspondent
LONDONDERRY – It was last spring when a group of parents of young children
realized local recreation offerings just weren't cutting it.
The current playground for youngsters, located behind the fire department's
central station, and complete with just one play structure -- a splintery
one at that -- was viewed as below standard.
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So the group began a grass-roots effort to bring a new play space, and new
equipment, to town.
Today, Project PLAY, as it is known, has 15 active members and a host of
volunteers who help spread the word. Since fundraising began in August, the
group has collected $12,000, generated through organized events and donations.
One donation, a check for $1,000, came from former Massachusetts Gov. Paul Cellucci,
who one of the founders of Project PLAY, Lara McIntyre, used to work for.
On Thursday, the group will be presented with a check for $500 from Granite Ridge
Energy, the power plant here in town, and a business that recognizes the importance
of having a safe place for young children to play.
"I know how well used that playground is," Granite Ridge Plant Administrator
Karen Beliveau said on her decision to help fund the venture.
As a Londonderry resident, Beliveau, whose two children are now grown, spent much time
at the aging playground. She said the goal of Project PLAY, which stands for Playground
for Londonderry's Active Youth, is commendable.
"I thought it was an outstanding thing to do," she said.
And her position as a local business leader, and town resident, led to her decision to
donate.
"I certainly want to represent my community and my place of work also," she said.
McIntyre said parents were simply "tired of having to drive our kids, sometimes up to a
half-hour away, to go to other towns' playgrounds."
And the only one in town that's not on school property "is over 20 years old, in bad shape,
splintered. We didn't want to bring our kids to an unsafe playground."
Members, originally part of the Nutfield Moms Club, broke off from that group in light of
fundraising restrictions and started their own organization.
While the group has been successful in its fundraising campaign, its goal of $180,000
is still a long way away. So far, it has held bake sales and other events, such as the
Touch-a-Truck, where children were able to explore the insides of vehicles like emergency
cruisers and limos, but is still significantly short of its ultimate goal.
The group is also selling engraved fence pickets that will be used to enclose the future
play site to families willing to donate to the cause.
"I don't think we've heard any negative feedback so far, but it's just a matter of keeping
the word out about the project," McIntyre said.
The goal is to have fundraising completed by August, but if that's not met, the group will look
to extend its deadline to next winter, with a hopeful construction date of spring 2008.
If all else fails, McIntyre said the group hasn't ruled out placing a warrant article on a future
election ballot, but only as a last resort.
"We're hoping that we're able to raise the money privately and not put the onus on the
taxpayers," she said.
McIntyre said the estimate to build two play structures is around $100,000, with added costs for
surfacing and enclosing the site.
"We just want to give the kids a safe, local place to play," she said.
Please e-mail the MOMS Club at
nutfieldmomsclub@yahoo.com
for further information or questions.
