New playground offers safer play

BETTSVILLE — Old Fort School District recently installed new playground equipment on its elementary school campus that they hope will offer a safer play experience. Construction began earlier this summer after the administration met with several playground equipment companies, but the idea to replace the playground has been in discussion for the last couple of years. Old Fort Superintendent Cindy Endsley said that the old equipment had had a good life with them and was able to offer 25-30 years of use and was starting to need more maintenance than they could handle and it was simply time for an update. Endsley commented that the project was initiated by members of the local community who started the discussion three years ago in collaboration with a member of the school board. The decision was finally made when community members and staff were able to raise over $100,000 to support the project ultimately costing the district $450,000, and there's still more money coming in. Endsley said she looks forward to several future fundraising efforts coming this fall that will continue to finance the equipment. They surveyed students and staff and then worked with GameTime, a company out of Alabama, to fully customize the new playground down to the color. "We wanted the best equipment for our kids that we could put in," Endsley said. June 1, they started by pouring a new playground surface that is more soft and foamy compared to traditional asphalt. The new playground includes three sets of equipment offering play areas for 2-5-year-olds, 5-12-year-olds, 12+ and even includes a wheelchair-accessible merry-go-round. The playground is available to the public on evenings and weekends or before school. Donations to help pay for the playground can be made by contacting the school at 419-986-5166.