Ellis Park/Playscape
Menu home what's new about the chamber about Danville join the chamber newsletter park/playscape events member pages contact site map search	Overview of Parks, Recreation WE BUILT A DREAM ! A Great New Playground for Danville Kids "PLAYSCAPE" A PLACE TO PLAY, AT LAST! by Karin Johansson WHO BROUGHT THIS TO REALITY ?
	DANVILLE--It grew up out of the ground like a speeded-up photograph sequence. One day, the site was just lawn and trees. The next, it was a forest of poles. And now, it's finished. After a year of planning, Playscape is a 12,000 square-foot reality in Ellis Park, a reality that children will enjoy for years. It wouldn't have happened without the army of volunteers, most from Danville, but many from around the county. They put heart and soul and skill into the project and there's no way to thank them adequately. Volunteers numbering 1,320 put 10,275 hours into the six-day build, working in the rain, the early morning chill and the late evening darkness. Eighty-two first-time offenders assigned to community service on the playground's construction by Judge Karen Love put in 1,755 hours. Seven construction companies as well as other local businesses gave employees paid time off on Contractors' Day (Friday) to work on the project. Others took days off at their own expense to get the job done. The Food Committee estimates that about $6,000 worth of food was donated to provide 1,500 lunches and dinners. Volunteers consumed between 11 and 14 dozen doughnuts and 400 to 500 hundred cups of coffee daily. The Optimist Club loaned tents to cover the scrumptious al fresco dining experience the Food Committee laid on twice a day. The Child Care Committee cared for between 56 and 78 children daily from infancy through 13, ably assisted by Middle School students after school. The children enjoyed presentations from singing firemen, magicians, storytellers, TV personalities, carnival clowns, petting zoo animals, and the Sheriff's Department. It couldn't have happened without the Danville Christian Church which hosted the Child Care Center during construction. Playscape fundraisers have raised close to $50,000 so far from individuals and businesses to pay for the playground. Fundraising continues with such projects as the "buy-a-board" campaign. Contributors may buy pickets for $25 each, have them etched with their names or messages and installed in the picket fence surrounding the playground. At last count, almost 700 pickets had been purchased and the campaign will continue, through Huntingon Bank, till all pickets have been purchased. The Eli Lilly and White Lick Heritage Community Foundations topped off individual and business contributions with a grant of $82,100 to complete the financial picture. It couldn't have happened without the Town of Danville's Parks Department, who put aside its usual agenda to focus almost solely on the playground. And, the Danville Community School Corporation which gave up its buildings for fundraisers and activity days and put its students to work on playground projects. The high school soccer team put in practice hours on the site. The Middle School technology classes and high school Honor Society students worked and learned. Elementary students on fields trips soaped 40,000 screws, scrubbed tires, and created artwork for their playground. Playscape is now a place to play because a lot of caring people did what they could, nail by nail and board by board, to realize a dream. "I wish we'd publicized what fun this was going to be," commented Barb Koenig, a construction captain, "because we had a blast!" WHO SAYS SMALL TOWN LIFE IS DULL?

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