Nothing fuels the excitement of a child more than the thought of visiting a new playground. Therefore it stands to reason that youth in the greater Houlton area are bouncing, sliding, climbing and swinging their way to new heights of exhilaration.
On Saturday, the Houlton Parks and Recreation Department opened its new equipment at the Just for Kids playground in Houlton’s Community Park. All weekend, area youth could be found playing on the new equipment which includes a tire swing, multiple slides, a merry-go-round, monkey bars, rock wall and more. The original swing set was in good enough condition to remain on the site.
On Sunday, a steady stream of children came to the park during the time my wife and our two girls were there to explore the new facility. Screams of pure excitement echoed through the park, as shouts of “This is awesome!” and “These are really cool slides!” could easily be heard.
Watching some of the smaller children, I was taken back to the time when my first child was around 3 or 4 years old and how nervous I felt the first time she tackled a playground. I followed along behind her, fearing that at any moment she may slip and fall on the ladder.
By the time our second child was old enough, those fears swayed and I was content to let her climb with almost reckless abandon. I’m sure many parents go through the same thing with their children.
How the community was able to afford such a wonderful new facility, which cost nearly $100,000, is impressive. A look back on how the town was able to put in such a wonderful new facility reveals that in 1987, the effort began to add to and update the existing playground. A total of $20,000 was raised that qualified for matching grants giving $40,000 to the cause.
Twenty-one years later, in 2008, plans were put in motion to raise money for new playground equipment, as the existing pieces were showing their age. A committee was formed and funds were sought with Houlton Rotary contributing as well as other people. Organized fund raising such as the annual Halloween Party, the Santa Party, dances for kids, and other events contributed over the years. More than 30 business, 20 families, and six organizations donated money for the project over the years.
Then in 2012, Houlton received a $50,000 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which required a $50,000 local match. The town raised about $58,000 for the project through donations and pledges from individuals and local groups, which more than covered the town’s local requirement.
The old playground was taken to Military Street Baptist Church where it will be restored for their church.
It is a perfect example of two groups working together to benefit both and is something we can all learn a lesson from. It would have been a lot easier to simply discard the old equipment in favor of the new. But now, thanks to some forward thinking, the old pieces will be restored for future children to explore for many more years to come.
Continuing the theme of just how wonderful it is to live in this community, while I was sitting and watching my kids play in the park, a lady wearing a straw hat, rubber gloves and carrying a bag was taking a walk and picking up trash along the way. She did not say a word, just casually went about picking up pieces of garbage before continuing on her walk.
I can’t imagine someone from a larger city doing such a thankless act without being forced to. And yet, here in our community, this woman’s selfless act embodies how truly blessed we are to live in this area.
Joseph Cyr is a staff writer for the Houlton Pioneer Times. His opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect that of the newspaper. He can be reached at pioneertimes@nepublish.com or 532-2281.
