PORT ANGELES — The Dream Playground Foundation, set up to help maintain the community playground built in September 2002, is seeking donations to help with replacing damaged items as well as future maintenance.
“We’ve had three breakdowns of equipment or vandalism — we’re not sure what happened,” said Steve Charno, the foundation’s secretary/treasurer.
“We need to replace the bouncy toy, climbing web and tot slide”
Volunteer labor will be used, but the materials are estimated to cost $3,000, Charno said.
The 12,000-square-foot Dream Playground, located in Erickson Park across Race Street from Civic Field between Second and Fourth streets, was built by more than 2,000 volunteers during five days in September 2002.
1,000 volunteer hours
Charno said maintaining the playground during a typical year takes an average of about $5,000 plus at least 1,000 hours of volunteer labor.
“It’s amazing. All the wood must be sealed annually and the bark must be replaced every two years,” he said.
“We’ll have a really large work session this summer to repaint equipment that is peeling,” Charno said.
The equipment will be removed, repainted off-site and then reinstalled, he said.
The playground will close for two days, probably in July, for that and other maintenance, Charno said.
A community picnic and “thank you” is scheduled for Sept. 11, the playground’s third anniversary, he said.
The original steering committee for the Dream Playground effort became the Friends of the Playground, Charno said. Then that group incorporated as the nonprofit Dream Playground Foundation.
