On this Thursday at 8 a.m. fueled with free coffee and a commitment to children, a group of community minded citizens and residents of St Elmo will begin constructing a new playground in St. Elmo Community Park.(located in the area of the old St. Elmo Recreation Center)
It will take four days and close to 200 volunteers to complete the St. Elmo Community Playground that has been in the planning stages for over one and a half years.
Playground Project Coordinator Heidi Chapin said, “our community wanted a timber and wooden playground that would blend with the natural surroundings and include art and educational elements. When we learned that the City was going to make a park with this property, we decided to take it a step further.”
The unique and educational “play scape” designed by New Hampshire-based Learning Structures, Inc, celebrates St. Elmo’s unique heritage. One of the focal structures will be the Lookout Mountain Tree Fort, built around hilltop trees and incorporating slides, a climbing wall, and other physical play events. The Incline Rail Car Slide will descend a 40-foot long path down the park’s hill.
There will also be s challenge course with a Zip Line and a Tot-Lot with age appropriate structures for children ages 2 to 5.
Learning Structures Construction Director Joe Cicirelli is coming to town to organize the “build” and coordinate the teams of volunteer workers Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lunch and coffee will be provided and there will be childcare at the South Chattanooga Recreation Center on Saturday.
Ms. Chapin said, "This is an example of a great collaborative effort between the city, which provided the walking paths, grading, and funding for the design process and the talents, resources, and enthusiasm of our community.”
Volunteers, donations, and other services for next week’s playground construction are still needed.
Visit the playground website at
www.st-elmo.org or contact Maria Cardillo, Volunteer Coordinator, at 423-821-7317 or Heidi Chapin at 821-4278.