Visitor offers donated communication boards for Sandown playgrounds

Garrett Hardin, representing Security Crossroads' family support council, told the Sandown Recreation Commission on April 15 that his organization wants to donate a communication board tailored for playgrounds to each town it serves.

"What we as the family support want to do is donate a communication board to each of the towns that we service," Hardin said, showing mock-ups and samples to the commission. He said the vendor (Signs East, Kingston) uses durable dye‑bond aluminum and that the boards are expected to last roughly 10–15 years under normal conditions.

Hardin explained the boards are designed to help people who have difficulty communicating, especially autistic or developmentally delayed children, by providing symbols they can point to for common needs—things such as indicating thirst or a desire to play on a slide. He said installation options include 4x4 posts cemented into the ground or clips that attach to an existing fence, and that basic hardware and a bag of cement would add only modest local installation costs.

Commissioners and staff asked about site selection, vandalism protection and customization. Several members favored mounting boards on fences using clips to preserve sight lines; others asked for proofs of the final artwork and confirmation the donor's name or logo would appear. Hardin said the group prefers a uniform design for all towns to keep costs low but will provide a finalized proof for Sandown before printing.

Hardin said the organization is trying to finalize orders before its budget reset in June and hoped installations could be completed in May; he offered to supply contact information and a proof for the commission to review. Chair asked staff to accept a proof and arrange for mounting with DPW or volunteers once the design is finalized.

The commission did not take a formal vote at the meeting; staff and the donor agreed to exchange a proof and coordinate installation details.