CCAgenda_94Jan26 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

�n r Our Indoor Playground (Continued) but I call you back," she said. (The principal of the school sup When she did, she suggested I dis- ported everything from the posting TISSU cuss my i dea with Dave Cody, assis� of Play House signs all around the V v rant director of recreation for the school to the loaning of used kinder- Parks an d Recreation Department, garten equipment. G. P. Putnam's who helps run our town's summer Sons, located in nearby Kirkwood, do- children's program. "He's inter- nated boxes of children's books.) QQ ested in things like this. And he has Maryann, Dave, an d I pored happily Z children of his own," she said. over educational toy catalogs and f` When I told him about my idea for' spent one unforgettable three -hour 2 w the indoor playground, he didn't session trying to cover every aisle in 2 I laugh either. He invited me down to the largest toy store in town. We vis- city hall to talk about it. We discussed what was needed: a g big carpeted room, divided into ac- -ADO -1 iiii tive and quiet areas; some toys and books; furniture usable by both chil- P. v dren and their parents; an d bath- lb rder toys and u(pn?ent foi; our: room facilities nearby nothing own,n`door playgrou he are sor F fancy. The playground, eventually re k(1"l W l w a named the Play House, would oper of red U C es Ple ase a a te four hours a day, five mornings a of th 1 ite i i3e rt►a ie I we ek It would be open to c hildren Marty esep a a P by the hared) s up to five years old, accompanied by ABC School Supply: One of the NAP r an adul "Sounds good," he said. most; complete cat o ntwith ateyo a "Let m e make a few phone P calls." ably price ea le g `mater r The. first person Dave called was froiTr �ir1d ��tes t 'L��q�1�1�� �fi Mary Haust, project coordinator of (1 go 669 I II Schools as Community Sites, at Bing- chlldccr E a., orp� i C `rs t ham ton's MacArthur Elementary si oirc of a w vari of"w School. A school seemed like an ideal c hild s t o m and a iuca ionalrsupplies location for the indoor playground; 1- 8 0 3 tr *-'''f..':0''''' if a school could provide the space, U S •Constructive P?l yt h jngs a n r the city might provide supervision other ent elo d ic f' toys an 4 r F and equipment. quipment] bo red nd'® iriclu a fine, hand ICke oChir' e Binghamton's mayor, Ju Ing p Cribb;` g ave immediate and enthus df s books (1 -80 4 4- E rohme c oo 4 astie support fo the project She ap- T for. „me of t x 7 !a e proved 3 500 in "'discretionary x x items. pl/e o rd d our ad irde f unds from the parks dep artment for a ui went and $6; i e�tla# �in-p e t crow q p SO,O to salaries to t kee t h e project runnin sm cat�al4 1 -800-3 2-4 5 The school board was also suppor �r of order Q klt5 corslstm tive, although dovetailing the right tubes panels° a w that will yen place and time for the playground able you' to put together your with the needs of the school system Y sturdy sirdes playhouses riding to a required careful planning. tables and c hore' (1-800 r- The board's initial approval took a ext =911 )....k, Y matter of a few months. Implemen- The Right Stafi C a r; r 'r; ration of the actual Play House took this catalog we ordered the f amous vr� a little over a year. We were given a 'roller. coaster'. toy (beads on Io F 1 k spar classroom in the MacArthur Ele- irrg. wires), ari alphabet wall hanging O mentary School that suited our needs and the babies' favorite, a loft floor; perfectly. mat called the niggle bear (1;800 it a The number of people who do- 548 85 j. esi a at7 .Bull hil nated tune and energy to the project How rQ g� d` C OD y ip'( was amazing. Binghamton's head of dren °Equ V" C cu affairs designed a wildly col O ?o Bo is a usetu res QC orful wall mural, and Maryann Sterling P. u bI she rS a lsoof f e rss o,.at e A SS books on the subje Call t oll free at t S r depar recreation l ea d er es th e pa t den= forget`y ox department, sp ent countless h ours- v ire local toy store! 4fif nights and weekends pa i t in. 96 PARENTS NOVEMBER 1991 axise`