Committee members involved in a proposed playground to be constructed in Price are in a dead run as they attempt to finish raising funds for the playground scheduled to be built in eight weeks.
As of about one week ago, the committee had actual donations or pledges in excess of $150,000. Estimated costs for the playground are set at more than $250,000.
On July 10, co-chairs Jeanne McEvoy and Susan Polster appeared at a board meeting for the Carbon County Recreation Special Service District, where they received a commitment of $75,000 in last-dollar funding from the district.
The money comes in addition to more than $78,000 in other donations. In order to use the district money, the committee must raise the remaining funds.
“We’re very comfortable where we are. At the same time, we are very anxious,” commented McEvoy, who said she had compared progress with other groups around the state where similar parks have been built.
McEvoy noted that other groups have been farther from their goal and have pulled the funding resources together in time.
After a meeting with the playground design company, committee members reaffirmed the group’s commitment to raise $255,000.
In the last week, committee members indicated that additional donors have come forward, generating thousands of dollars in pledged donations. Polster said that donations have been coming in many forms.
For example, a donor from the Wasatch Front was looking at the possibility of donating the Trex decking material needed to build the park, costing an estimated $20,000.
Trex is a material made from the combination of wood and plastic that is stronger than traditional wood and lasts longer than plastic, which deteriorates under the effects of ultraviolet light.
Polster said the donation of materials will lower the total amount of cash donations needed for the playground.
In February, a representative from Leathers and Associates, the company hired to coordinate the playground, participated in a design day to build the park.
After reviewing input from local children, the designer sketched a half-acre playground to be built at Terrace Hills Park in north Price.
Last week, Michael Cohen of Leathers and Associates met with co-chairs of the playground committee, McEvoy and Polster. The three reviewed progress made by the sub-committees and made a visit to the proposed location for the playground.
Cohen gave an update on what needs to happen before the scheduled build week starts on Sept. 11.
The playground will be built from the combination of three materials: wood, structural plastic, and non-structural plastic.
The structural plastic is a combination of plastic with fiberglass.
The fiberglass gives the added support needed to build the playground, while the plastic covering adds cosmetics and keeps children playing on the playground from coming in contact with the fiberglass core.
Non-structural plastic will be the Trex material used to form the platforms in the playground. The remainder of the playground
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