Park campaign exceeds goal

Date: 9/25/2014

CHICOPEE – The campaign to fund the new playground at Nash Park has reached its goal but there is a chance to help pay for future improvements to the park.

Joel McAuliffe, communications director for Mayor Richard Kos, said that between the telethon that was broadcast over public access television and the crowd-sourcing effort, $5,400 has a new playground designed for younger children was built by city employees and volunteers and funded largely through a grant from the charitable arm of Dr. Pepper Snapple.
   
“It really was a team project,” McAuliffe told. He added, “Any additional funds raised with go to benefiting the park.”
   
There are still autographed sports items available for bid, he noted. A signed hockey pick by Boston Bruin Torey Krug and a signed football by New England Patriots player Rob Ninkovich.
   
McAuliffe said he is currently working in establishing an eBay account to bring a broader pool of bidders for these two items.
   
He believed that approaches such as crowd sourcing might be used to fund future projects.
   
The official ribbon-cutting for the new playground will be announced sometime in the future.
   
If people are interested in bidding on the remaining two autographed items, contact McAuliffe at 594-1506.