Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Playgrounds Donations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Gilbertsville Home & School donates $38,000 for kindergarten playground replacement
Summary
Gilbertsville Elementary’s Home & School Association will donate $38,000 to replace an aging kindergarten play structure; new equipment has a 20-year warranty, will serve about 22 children and installation is planned with school facilities handling removal of the old unit.
Gilbertsville Elementary’s Home & School Association has pledged $38,000 to buy and install new kindergarten play equipment, district officials said during the June 10 Committee of the Whole meeting.
Principal Amy Petrie (identified in the meeting as Gilbertsville principal) summarized condition problems with the existing structure — broken slide, worn decking and rust — and said the school and Home & School examined repair vs. replacement. She said the new design targets kindergarten-aged children and increases play opportunities while reducing appeal to older students.
“The play capacity is 22 students between those two items, which is about a kindergarten class size,” Petrie said, describing the playground components and the district’s choice to prioritize longevity and safety.
Steve Kompo, the company representative, told the board the manufacturer offers a 20-year full warranty on the equipment; Petrie said replacement parts would restart the warranty period for replaced components. District staff said maintenance will attempt to dismantle and scrap the old structure in-house; removal by facilities will be scheduled in coordination with the delivery lead time.
Lead time from the manufacturer was described as roughly five weeks at the start of the year but closer to eight to ten weeks due to seasonal demand; once a ship date is set, crews schedule two-day shipments and an installation window. Installation will include footers and engineered wood fiber surfacing meeting fall-height requirements.
The $38,000 purchase and installation costs will be fully funded by the Gilbertsville Home & School Association; the district will handle removal and site preparation. The board was asked to accept the donation at a future meeting.
Board members asked about vandalism or after-hours use; administrators said the area is visible on camera and is located near access roads and fields, and the structure’s lower height and targeted components make it less attractive to older children. District staff said one existing play structure in the kindergarten area will remain.
Administration said the district will work with facilities to confirm timing and whether additional contractors are needed for safe removal of the existing equipment before installation.
