Published: August 04, 2008 12:27 am      

Q&A: Keith Bond, Middleport resident, fights to have playground repaired

MIDDLEPORT — The Middleport Outdoor Playground was in disrepair, but thanks to residents who came together, it’s on its way to being fixed.

Located next to Royalton-Hartland Middle School on State Street in Middleport, the playground has been closed down because of safety issues. In response, residents formed the Middleport Outdoor Playground committee in an effort to save the playground by raising money to pay for repairs and maintenance. Through a number of events this summer, as well as donations, the group raised enough money to have it repaired.

Having community members come to the playground’s aid is fitting, because the playground was built 18 years ago with funds raised by students, teachers, parents and community members of the Royalton-Hartland School District.

Friday, committee member Keith Bond discussed the playground, the fundraising and the committee itself with the Union-Sun & Journal. For more information, visit www.middleportoutdoorplayground.com.

QUESTION: What happened to the playground?

ANSWER: Well the problem was it’s 18 years old, and weather has taken its toll. The safety report said the decks, the horizontal surfaces, basically, had to be replaced. The slides needed to be replaced, and there was some rust that needed to be fixed. Basically, age issues.

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Q: How did this group come together? It seemed to come about pretty quickly.

A: Yeah it did. It’s a small community, and pretty much everybody that does stuff knows each other. The school board received a safety report from the BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) wanted it closed until it was fixed. I happened to be at that meeting, and they asked me if the PTA had any input. It basically grew out of there. We put out a call for anyone interested. At the first meeting, we had a good group, a lot of parents. We also had the original chairman of the committee that built it in the first place. She had her original binder with copies of every fundraiser. It had a layout of the gym and who was at each station.

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Q: How has fundraising gone so far?

A: We’ve hit our original goal, already. We’re continuing a little longer until we get it open and until we get final approval from the safety inspector. Whatever is left, we are going to set up a maintenance fund. The playground, itself, is no longer age appropriate for the (middle) school its next to, so it can’t be the school’s responsibility. We feel it should be funded separately. If so, it can be maintained, and we don’t have to worry about it in the next 18 years. Our original goal was $17,000.

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Q: Anything you’d like to add?

A: We’re planning a grand reopening on Sept. 12. The slides have been ordered and we’re expecting them in by the end of August, beginning of September. Community came together, it’s a wonderful thing about a place like Middleport. It’s a nice family community, and we make things happen for our community.