Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.

YMCA gets new playground

Reminder Publications photo by G. Michael Dobbs
By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



SPRINGFIELD The children spoke and the adults listened.

Two months ago Meg Keaney, project manager for the non-profit group KaBoom! came to Springfield to hear what the children who used the YMCA on Chestnut Street wanted in a new playground.

Keaney took a break from the construction of the new play area on Thursday to point out the spiral slide, the tire swing, the "rock" climbing wall and the plastic bongo drums as all elements the children requested.

As Keaney spoke, dozens of volunteers were installing the playground equipment, raking a new layer of wood chips into place and finishing planting a line of shrubs. Other volunteers were taking a break and having lunch. Mix 91 radio was supplying music, while a local massage therapist was offering chair massages to volunteers.

Although many of the volunteers were Home Depot employees the national home improvement chain is a sponsor of KaBoom! Keaney noted that members of the Fire Fighters Local 648, the Hampden County Sheriff's Department and residents of Springfield who just wanted to help were also volunteers.

Over the past 10 years, the organization has constructed nearly 1,000 new playgrounds, skate parks, sports field and ice rinks across the nation. Currently, the organization is in a campaign to create or refurbish 1,000 play spaces in a 1,000 days. The Springfield YMCA site was part of that effort.

Keaney said that part of the play area was designed for children ages five and older, while another was for children under that age. A fence will separate the two areas.

The play structure on the site was removed earlier and at 8:30 a.m. the volunteers arrived and began work. By noon, the project was ahead of schedule and Keaney believed the scheduled completion time of 3 p.m. would be moved up at least a half-hour.

Although Keaney said that she couldn't play a value on the volunteer labor, she did say the materials for the new playground represent a $47,000 investment.