TRENARY, Mich. (WZMQ) – Superior Central Elementary’s playground is in need of an upgrade, “Our current playground is 34 years old and doesn’t have a lot of the cool features that new playgrounds have,” said the school’s principal Susan Korpi. “Including some of the safety things that are required nowadays.”
Last year the school started raising money through local businesses to build a new playground. Now they’re reaching out to their community to help raise the remaining $80,000 of the $130,000 project, “We have tapped in to our local businesses and we’re looking for a little bit more to reach our goal because we would like to have that awesome playground that our kids deserve,” said Korpi.
The new playground will include new safety features and more accessible structures to make sure kids of all ages and abilities can play safety, “Our current playground features some wooden structures that, after 34 years, need to be replaced for safety,” said Korpi. “Ground coverings that we don’t currently have to reduce fall risk, and the new playground structures have softer materials so that kids are a little safer on them. Just some more options for those running, jumping sort of things kids need to do to build endurance and build teamwork, a lot more spaces for our kids to play.”
Korpi said they’re building the new playground because play is important to the school and its students,”Kids need more time outdoors, unstructured for them to learn teamwork, to learn problem solving, to learn perseverance, so we’re really focusing on play,” said Korpi.
She also said she hopes the new playground will benefit the students even beyond the school day,”Kids need to get together both at school and out of school and play,” said Korpi. “So we’re hoping this is a community space for playgroups and parents and clubs together together for kids to be kids.”
Superior Central hopes to have the playground finished by the end of this summer. For more information about the new playground or to donate visit Superior Central’s GoFundMe page.
