Playground build now underway
The Humboldt Wildcat football team began its 2022 practices on Monday but before practice there was some manual labor as team members helped dig holes and set posts for the new Wildcat Wonderland Playground in Taft Park. Photo courtesy of Derrick Elman.
By KENT THOMPSON
Weekend rains helped soften the ground slightly. Community volunteers and Play by Design builders arrived at Taft Park bright and early Monday morning, ready to go to work.
The project is to construct a signature, child-safe playground with all the amenities of the old castle-type Wildcat Wonderland with many new and improved features.
Monday, three members of the Play by Design build team from Ithaca, NY, led volunteers in the digging of post holes and the setting of plastic lumber posts to anchor many of the main components of the playground structure.
“We had a good day today,” Humboldt Parks Superintendent Clayton Vorland said late Monday afternoon.
“A community build is the people and we feel fortunate to be invited to Humboldt," said Lee Archin, co-founder of Play by Design, who was in Humboldt early this week and will be back next week. "Most of all we need bodies,” Archin said. “Regardless of your abilities you can help. Without the community we can’t build it, and then we will have to work with the city on simplifying the plans, because the build can’t go on forever,” Archin said.
“There is something for everyone over 14 years old to do skilled or not, next week. Work shifts will be 8 a.m. to noon, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.,” Vorland said.
“Also, we are still in need of some food to feed the volunteers during the build, so please get contact the Rec Center (515) 604-6494, or email paxtonv@cityofhumboldt.org if you can help out with food or volunteering," he said.
If you can help out with any of the tools or are a skilled person and would like to supervise, contact Vorland at (515) 332-4280 or email parksdept@ci.humboldt.ia.us
Read more about the effort and see more photos in this week's Humboldt Independent.
