playground

Thank you so much to all the volunteers and to all monetary and food/drink donors!

Here are the links to my 2 sets of pictures.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4136490567424.2176876.11383880...

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4136483607250.2176875.11383880...

We will be having the ribbon-cutting ceremony on the 4th of July;
please sign up to volunteer at this event!

See you at the playground!

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2271429801386.62670.1717883093&...

Link to Day 2 Photographs : http://www.flickr.com/photos/24126870@N07/sets/72157630096941636/

Complete Set Link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24126870@N07/sets/72157630027049975/

Early Progress on the first day. Great Team Work.

As you probably know on June 9/10 our community is coming together to rebuild
The Castle, the beautiful wooden play structure at Elwell Field that was removed two years ago for structural/safety reasons. This improvement to Elwell Field (Ardmore Ave and Morris Road) not only tightens the fabric of our neighborhood, but we hope will also have a positive impact on property values.

SABA has worked extremely hard on the project, including working with the
Township to secure $80,000 for the structure.

BUT, WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU!!

We have 35 people or more both days signed up to work from dawn to dusk. They will be laboring with shovels and hammers, working up an appetite and the need for proper hydration. Providing them with food is a significant expense.

Can you make a donation to SABA to cover:
$200 - a day's worth of hoagies
$100 - a day's worth of water and ice
$50 - a day's worth of gatorade
$50 - a day's worth of coffee

Help BUILD “The Castle” at Elwell Field
We Need People and Tools!

When: June 9 & 10 (sat/sun)
Where: Elwell Field (Ardmore Ave & Morris Rd)
How: Contact ElwellVols@comcast.net to sign up ASAP

Looking for:
• Shovelers and heavy lifters
• Team leaders (construction experience preferred)
• General helpers
• Lots of tools

Building a play structure is FUN and REWARDING! Come on out!
(The build will be coordinated by professionals from Designed For Fun)

To learn more go to... What to Expect on Build Weekend

Thanks to the tireless efforts of community members (aka, the SABA Playground Committee) and the leadership of Commissioners Jeff Heilmann and Larry Holmes, and Parks & Rec Dept.'s Eric Gillard and Tim Denny,we have secured funding for a beautiful new play structure to replace the old Castle at Elwell Field.

Now all we have to do is build it.

We'll be doing a community build on June th and 10th, and we need all the skilled/semi skilled volunteers we can get. If you're interested, or you've got tools to offer, please contact elwellvols@comcast.net. If we all pitch in for 2 days, we can improve the neighborhood for generations to come.

More details to follow. We will be having at least one general planning/informational meeting with interested volunteers within the next few weeks.

Just prior to the 2010 4th of July Event an inspection revealed unrepairable damage to the playground piece at Elwell Park in the background of this photo. It was quickly removed by the Haverford Township Parks and Recreation Department. The Township is planning to work with the Community to select a replacement piece to be installed in late summer early fall 2011. The South Ardmore Betterment Alliance is forming a committee to not only provide input into the process of selecting a replacement piece, but to also raise additional funds to assist with this project. Information on how to donate to this important project will be posted in the near future.

As many of you may have noticed, the large wooden playground piece at Elwell Field has been fenced off and inaccessible for a few weeks. As some of you may have noticed, it was removed from the park today. This leaves a large empty space in the park and in the hearts of the neighborhood children.

The township had determined that much of the wood was damaged, making the piece unsafe, so they fenced it off. They then determined that enough of the wood was damaged that it was beyond repair and needed to be removed.

The piece was purchased in 1990 for $30,000 and was the premier playground piece in the township at the time. Unfortunately, time has taken its toll. At the time, it was purchased with HUD funds. Some HUD funding, and possibly other resources, can be available to purchase a new piece, but not nearly enough to cover the cost.

This is Freedom Playground's Build Week, and they need a lot of volunteers!

You can sign up on the website, or go there if you have an hour or two to spare. Childcare is available in one of the cottages in the Quadrangle.They especially need a.m. and p.m.volunteers during the week. All kinds of jobs available. Donations welcomed.

I helped put up signs on Prep Day on Monday. Was there today during Day 2 of Build Week. Had fun stacking 2x4's, then staining them.

They are selling T-shirts for $15, tiles for a hand print for $15, pickets and pavers.

Come out and help!