Volunteers install new playground in Fairfield’s Howard Park

FAIRFIELD - Fairfield's Howard Park is a livelier place now that it has a piece of brand-new playground equipment courtesy of local volunteers.

The piece of equipment includes four slides and a number of bars and platforms for children to climb on. Most of the playground was installed over two days, Oct. 18-19, a week later than planned because of rain.

Bobby Ferguson of Fergie's Build & Play of Farmington, Missouri, was the foreman who oversaw installation. He said he was pleased to have so many volunteers from the community lend a helping hand. He said the installation went fast because the volunteers were knowledgeable in handling tools.

Ferguson estimated that 10-15 people showed up on Friday, Oct. 18. The following day brought even more people, about 30. There was hardly enough room for them all to work on the playground at once.

'A lot of people showed up willing and excited to help,” Ferguson said.

Kiwanis support

One of the big contributors of volunteers was the Fairfield Kiwanis Club. Club member Jeff Johnston said Kiwanis felt strongly about helping because its mission is to serve children. That's why it holds the annual Kiwanis Kids' Day every September.

Kiwanis has also helped build other playgrounds in town such as the one at O.B. Nelson Park, and contributed to the exercise bars installed a few years ago at Chautauqua Park. Johnston said Kiwanis put in a slide at Howard Park years ago, but it was vandalized and later removed.

'This new playground equipment is a big improvement, and Howard Park needed it,” Johnston said.

The last of the concrete was poured Saturday, Oct. 19, though the playground wasn't officially opened until a few days later once the concrete had cured and after Fairfield Park and Recreation had brought mulch to lay around the equipment.

Two local moms

The idea for the playground equipment was the brainchild of two local moms, Laurie Stokes-Woods and Emily Martin. Those two led a fundraiser during the past year that garnered $34,000 in donations.

Martlin and Stokes had wanted to add playground equipment to the park for the past couple of years. Stokes-Woods enjoyed taking her daughter to the Fairfield Farmers Market, which meets in Howard Park every Wednesday afternoon and Saturday morning from May through October. The park had four swings - two for toddlers and two for older kids - along with a handful of other toys.

'At that time, my daughter was little, so she had to wait for the toddler swings,” Stokes-Woods told The Union in August. 'At that age, it's hard to wait your turn, and a lot of kids sat around the swings crying because they had to wait.”

Stokes-Woods started a campaign to raise money for swings. She contacted the Fairfield Park and Recreation Department to see how it could help, but learned that the department had no money in its budget to add swings, and that she would have to raise the money herself.

Independently of Stokes, Martlin was having similar thoughts about the need for more playground equipment at Howard Park. She likes to take her son there, but often feels frustrated when all of the swings are in use and there's nothing for her son to do.

'I thought I could either complain, or I could do something to change it,” Martlin said. 'This park is centrally located, and very frequently visited, especially during the farmers market months. I also felt we needed a playground in this area of town, as many parents are on foot and Chautauqua and O.B. Nelson [parks] are sometimes just a bit too far.”

After Martin called Fairfield Park and Recreation director Calvin Todd to tell him she was interested in fundraising for more playground equipment, he told her that a woman named Laurie Stokes-Woods was interested in a similar project. The two ladies put their heads together and began writing grants for the future playground and soliciting donations.

Perfect fit

Martin said she was thrilled to see the playground equipment go in, the fruits of their labor paying off to benefit the town's children.

'This playground is the perfect fit, and it suits the park nicely,” Martin said. 'It's going to bring a lot of life here because the downtown is a high-traffic area. We tried to accommodate a wide range of ages from 2-12 so that every child can find something to do on this playground.”

Martin said she was nervous how long it would take to install because they were relying on volunteer labor, and there was no telling how many volunteers would show. Luckily, the community turned out to support the project, and the equipment was installed in a day and a half.

Stokes-Woods, who was unable to attend the installation due to a prior commitment, said she hopes the weather remains mild for at least a few more weeks so that kids have a chance to enjoy the new playground before winter.

Stokes-Woods said she couldn't believe how quickly the equipment was installed. She said it was a testament to the town's volunteer spirit. She remarked how thankful she was that Beth Alonso brought the local Fairfield Interact group (Rotary for young people) to help install. She appreciated the dedication of people like Fairfield Park and Recreation employees Pam Craff and Erin Smith, and others such as Lucas McCoy and Dave and Sheri Neff.