St. Paul Elementary has a new playground. The new playground was built east of the old playground so that it would be out of the way of the classes in the new high school. The area where the old playground was will become an area for activities.
Since the school was already moving the playground, they applied for a fifty-fifty Kansas Waste Tire Grant to get the filler for it. Special Education Instructor, Debra Carlson, was instrumental in receiving the grant. She researched various federal and state grants to find one that would meet the school's needs. She then applied for the grant by writing a letter and filling out an application through the Kansas Waste Management Department.
The landscaping for the playground is made up of old tires from Kansas that have been recycled. Under the filler is a drainage system. The new playground will be compliant with the ADA, or Americans with Disabilities Act. There are also plans to add a sidewalk from the pavement to the playground for wheelchair accessibility.
Katie Phillips, when asked if she likes the new playground, responded, “Yes, I like the new playground a lot because it is much safer than the old one because it has tire shreds that are much safer than wood chips. Another reason that I like the new playground is the size, it is a little bit bigger than the old playground, which gives me more room to play.”
In addition to the improvements, the railroad ties from the old playground have been recycled for use in building the new staff parking lot south of the high school building.
ST. PAUL —
