In 1993 the small community of St. Andrews, New Brunswick worked together to build a very special playground. Most of the town's 1500 residents were involved in one way or another, whether in planning or in a grand five day "barn raising" style construction event. This project resulted in what is one of Canada's most impressive play structures - but more than that, it promoted a sense of ownership and pride which has had lasting benefits for the community. In this article the project coordinators look back at some of the issues and highlights of creating "more than just a great play structure".
It all started in 1992 as a simple question in a Home and School meeting - how should we replace aging and broken play equipment in the Vincent Massey Elementary School school yard? As the two originally delegated to look into options we began shopping around for traditional playground equipment, and looking at how other playgrounds were equipped and used.
During visits to towns in neighboring Maine, we saw a couple of wooden structures with plaques honoring great numbers of volunteers and donors who had contributed to construction. These unique and interesting structures attracted both children and adults. Through investigation we learned that these were all designed by playground architect Robert Leathers of Ithica New York - and that they had been built solely by community members.
We began, skeptically at first, to debate the pros and cons of such a project. It would be a big undertaking. It would require a huge amount of planning and organization. On the other hand, it would result in a unique product. We knew that many such projects had been undertaken successfully in the USA. But could we do it in such a small town... and in Canada?
The idea was floated - casually at first, and then more formally as it became apparent that it had many positive aspects. The process would result in a top quality structure: safe, exciting and durable. What's more, the unique construction style would cost less than any other equipment being considered, and would result in greater appreciation and ownership by members of the community. Not only was this a logical option, it became the preferred choice.
Community-wide input started early. The design was drawn out of a day of intense interaction between elementary school students and the architect - within parameters defined on the basis of the needs and resources of the school and the community. The day culminated with the presentation of the unique design to a public meeting, providing initial momentum for the project.
We followed a template provided by the Leathers organization based on successful projects elsewhere. The project was driven by a steering committee made up of a diverse group of individuals who had responsibility for various planning teams. Teams included fundraising, materials acquisition (donated and purchased), organization of volunteers, public relations, acquisition of tools, and provision of child care and meals during the construction.
The proposed project seemed daunting at times. We were planning a construction event of 5 long days in which we would turn two flatbeds of lumber, a truckload of telephone poles, a room full of hardware and a mountain of surface fibre into a playground. A long list of materials had to be acquired either through donation or purchase. Hundreds of volunteers would be needed on the site from dawn to dusk each day. Meals would be necessary to encourage workers to stay on the project throughout each day. A vast array of tools would be required.
As construction day approached we worked with individual teams as they expanded in size to fulfill their portion of the project. The fundraising team faced a goal of over $75,000.00. Contributions ranged from corporations and foundations, through local businesses and individuals, to classes and students. Essential was the understanding that all contributions, large or small, were important to the success of the project.
The materials committee faced the challenge of sourcing a long and specific list of high quality items dictated by the architects. This task was more difficult in this first Canadian project because of a lack of identified Canadian suppliers. Further, the committee was challenged to obtain as much material by donation as possible.
The tool committee had to round up sufficient tools to satisfy the needs of up to 400 workers at on time - including 45 drills, 40 levels, 35 circulars saws, and even tow truck mounted power augers, all borrowed from community members.
The construction took place June 2-6, 1993. The work of the volunteer committee resulted in over 10,000 hours of donated time in the 5 days of the project. Individuals arrived as early as 6:30 AM each day, and with the assistance of floodlights some remained well into the night.
As volunteers arrived, they were signed in and assigned to appropriate areas of the project. There were jobs for everyone. Young children soaped nails and washed tires in a protected area with a good view of the overall action. Older children worked with supervision on the main site. Teenagers, perhaps older than the prime playground target age, contributed greatly - some working on their own throughout the project. The initial pole setting was greatly facilitated by the strong backs of high school students. Family teams, sometimes three generations, were a common sight - working together and sharing significant construction tasks. Those not able to participate actively in the construction itself were valuable in numerous other critical tasks including child care and many aspects of food provision. Extra care was offered as the very young were entertained in daycare which operated throughout the project enabling their parents to work undistracted.
Schools, service clubs and businesses encouraged groups of their members to participate. Many individuals traveled to St. Andrews from afar to see and be part of this unusual event.
Food was a highlight, a brief chance to rest and to compare experiences as the project shut down for 30-40 minutes about noon and 5:00 P.M. each day. About 2,800 exceptional meals were served in 10 sittings in the school gym - from soup and sandwiches through fresh Bay of Fundy salmon, all contributed by groups and organizations working with the food committee.
The structure took shape quickly. The characteristic castle-like peaks, numerous square platforms of the maze, slides, and other components were being built along side the site and were dropped into place as the structure grew. Slides, swings, balance beams, towers, swings ladders, a tire horse, firemen's pole and other items commonly associated with playgrounds began to emerge. So too did some rather unusual items like a pipe organ, a giant ball machine, and a amphitheater. Bricks for a texture wall were made from scratch by students using materials they could dream up and find during the project.
People obviously took ownership of their piece of the structure, and worked hard to ensure that it was built well. Those with relevant skills and experience shared them, and most learned a great deal about working with wood in this way. Safety was on everyone's mind and the project was completed without incident - allowing the volunteer medical staff to work on construction.
On Monday morning (Day 6) large numbers of adults accompanied children to school to view the town's accomplishment and to watch as virtually the entire student population disappeared into the structure. The playground exceeded people's expectations. The clever design encouraged creative play and opportunities for children to play with adults in a safe and stimulating environment.
The three years since construction have revealed the benefits of such a community-wide project. The playground itself has become a town attraction. It has been used continually by residents, and families from surrounding communities - and has drawn visitors from considerable distances. In addition to the structure itself the construction process resulted in numerous benefits: a strong sense of ownership in the playground, a cohesiveness and feeling of accomplishment among those who were involved, and the realization of the vast talent and resources available within the town.
In the same way that we contacted previous projects for information, many groups and individuals from all over the continent have contacted us regarding our experience in this project. To date three other Maritime communities have followed our lead and have built similar structures.
In 1994 the project was presented the first New Brunswick Family Award in recognition of the playground's contribution to family life in the province.
Alan Dunfield is VP at Vincent Massey Elementary School. Rob Stephenson is a Fisheries Scientist. Both are from St. Andrews, New Brunswick.