© 2012 Topsfield Playground Committee

© Ellen Greely

      - Why do we need new playgrounds?

The old Proctor School Playground, the old adjacent “tot lot”, and current Steward School  playground were all constructed over 20 years ago.  Due to safety concerns, the structure on the Proctor school playground could no longer be utilized by the students during school hours prior to its recent replacement (October 2009).  Over the past 20 years, the safety codes for such playgrounds have evolved and it is in the best interest of our children that we support the facilitation of modern playgrounds which are in compliance with the safety standards of today.

      - Why don’t you just repair it?

They were or are all beyond the point of repair.  All of the wood in the structures deteriorated and the vertical beams show deep cracking.  Exposed nails on the platforms are a concern as they will continue to pop up after being nailed down, due to the overall wear of the structure.  Lastly, over the past 20 years, the safety codes for such playgrounds have evolved and it would be extremely difficult to retro-fit the structure to current standards.  It is in the best interest of our children that we support the facilitation of modern playgrounds fabricated from metallic structures which are in compliance with the safety standards of today.

      - Why are we planning such a project when the town/world is in a financial crisis?

It is more important than ever that we provide our families with a place to congregate; people are traveling less and looking for things to do that are inexpensive.  New playgrounds provide a healthy, family and community oriented option for spending time together.  Additionally, there are so many cuts in our school and town budgets that it becomes even more important for us to provide positive opportunities for our children.