A Playground is Born
In the late 1980's, the Hardwick community banded together and raised the funds necessary to build a playground for our children. An impressive wooden structure was erected and became a source of play and fun exercise for hundreds of children and families throughout the Hardwick villages. This structure was dedicated to David Huntress and stood for many years as a reminder of him.
Showing her Age
Like a much-loved teddy bear taken everywhere by its child, the playground eventually began to show signs of wear. Many hands crossed her monkey bars and many feet trod her bridges. Almost two decades of weather and heavy use, combined with a lack of maintenance, led to the inevitable: the playground was no longer safe.
In the fall of 2003, the PTO was asked to address the playground situation at the request of the Hardwick Elementary School board because its insurance carrier would no longer cover the playground.
A New Foundation is Laid
Understanding the hole that would be left without the playground, fundraising began immediately in the 2003-04 school year. A new community-based group was formed with the goal of providing the children of Hardwick with safe, lower maintenance play structures. Fundraising has been ongoing and has really taken off in the last year. The organization has raised over $61,000 to date!
Reincarnation
The Hardwick Community Playground Project has found an innovative and responsive company whose playgrounds have been installed locally in areas like Amherst, Belchertown and Paxton. This company can build an accessible structure for use by all the children of the Hardwick villages, including those with disabilities. The new playground will offer non-directive, imaginative plays as well as physical fun by allowing children to choose their own paths through the structure. She will be beautiful and she will be tough enough to withstand years of play. In order to breathe life into this new playground, we need to raise $75,000. This figure will not only build the new, durable structure, but provide for her maintenance.
Remembering her Roots
This exciting new structure will last longer and thus will be enjoyed by more children in the years to come. Though she will be a new playground, she will stand on the site of the former structure, and like her sister, she will remain as a dedication to David Huntress.
