New playground receives pupils' approval

The school got a $65,000 grant from the Green Team for the project.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
POLAND -- Carmella Smallhoover gets teary eyed when she thinks about all of the community members who contributed to a renovated playground at Union Elementary School.
"It's because I know that they do it for the kids," the principal said.
The school's PTA completed the three-year renovation of the playground this summer.
The roughly $120,000 project included replacing old equipment, expanding the blacktop, installing benches, basketball hoops and new swings, and laying a soft surface around the play area.
The principal said the surface provides a cushion for children and guards against injury.
The rubber surface has lasted 14 to 20 years at other playgrounds where it's been installed, she said.
That's in contrast to the wood chips that used to blanket the ground beneath the equipment. The chips had to replaced often, costing between $5,000 and $7,000 each time.
The rubberized surface also repels water, allowing children to play outside even after a rain storm.
Grant
The school received a $65,000 grant for the project from Recycling & amp; Reuse Division of Mahoning County, or the Green Team, for the work. The surface is made from recycled rubber. North Elementary's playground also bears the surface.
"Of a $120,000 project, it only cost the board of education and the people of Poland $13,000," Smallhoover said.
Individuals and groups from the community contributed the balance including Anthony Lariccia, Poland Rotary, Jason Smith, Focus Contracted Services, Mike Peters of Creative Landscaping and Chris Nord.
The PTA also conducted fund-raisers, and the school's pupils had lemonade sales to garner the local share for the grant.
"The parents worked so hard to raise money for the project," Smallhoover said.
The children were thrilled when they returned to school and saw a revamped playground, she said.
Sliding and climbing
Audrey Schweers, 6, and Jack Minehart and Dalton Ruozzo, both 7, all first-graders in Nancy Zamary's class, hurried from the new sliding and climbing apparatus to the new swings on a recent morning.
"I like them all," said Audrey, pausing only briefly from her play.
Jack pointed to the climbing and sliding equipment as his favorite, adding that he was pleased when he returned to school with a new playground.
"It was pretty neat," he said.
For Dalton, the swings were his favorite things.
"They go high," Dalton said.
About 300 kindergarten through fourth-graders who attend Union, 35 children enrolled in the preschool program, and about 50 pupils from the district's after-school sessions use the new equipment.