Q&A: Keith Bond, Middleport resident, fights to have playground repaired

Local News

August 4, 2008

By Joe Olenick<br><a href="mailto:olenickj@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Joe</a> The Lockport Union-Sun %26 Journal Mon Aug 04, 2008, 12:30 AM EDT

MIDDLEPORT — The Middleport Outdoor Playground was in disrepair, but thanks to residents who came together, it’s on its way to being fixed.

Located next to Royalton-Hartland Middle School on State Street in Middleport, the playground has been closed down because of safety issues. In response, residents formed the Middleport Outdoor Playground committee in an effort to save the playground by raising money to pay for repairs and maintenance. Through a number of events this summer, as well as donations, the group raised enough money to have it repaired.

Having community members come to the playground’s aid is fitting, because the playground was built 18 years ago with funds raised by students, teachers, parents and community members of the Royalton-Hartland School District.

Friday, committee member Keith Bond discussed the playground, the fundraising and the committee itself with the Union-Sun & Journal. For more information, visit www.middleportoutdoorplayground.com.

QUESTION: What happened to the playground?

ANSWER: Well the problem was it’s 18 years old, and weather has taken its toll. The safety report said the decks, the horizontal surfaces, basically, had to be replaced. The slides needed to be replaced, and there was some rust that needed to be fixed. Basically, age issues.

•••

Q: How did this group come together? It seemed to come about pretty quickly.

A: Yeah it did. It’s a small community, and pretty much everybody that does stuff knows each other. The school board received a safety report from the BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) wanted it closed until it was fixed. I happened to be at that meeting, and they asked me if the PTA had any input. It basically grew out of there. We put out a call for anyone interested. At the first meeting, we had a good group, a lot of parents. We also had the original chairman of the committee that built it in the first place. She had her original binder with copies of every fundraiser. It had a layout of the gym and who was at each station.

•••

Q: How has fundraising gone so far?

A: We’ve hit our original goal, already. We’re continuing a little longer until we get it open and until we get final approval from the safety inspector. Whatever is left, we are going to set up a maintenance fund. The playground, itself, is no longer age appropriate for the (middle) school its next to, so it can’t be the school’s responsibility. We feel it should be funded separately. If so, it can be maintained, and we don’t have to worry about it in the next 18 years. Our original goal was $17,000.

•••

Q: Anything you’d like to add?

A: We’re planning a grand reopening on Sept. 12. The slides have been ordered and we’re expecting them in by the end of August, beginning of September. Community came together, it’s a wonderful thing about a place like Middleport. It’s a nice family community, and we make things happen for our community.

Text Only

Local News

Paying Respect
May 28, 2012 4 Photos
Sense of resignation escorts AES tax pact
May 24, 2012
Town considering WNYLC's request
May 23, 2012
Palace, Hartland get Greenway funding
The Historic Palace Theatre and the Town of Hartland both were cleared Tuesday to receive Niagara River Greenway funding for improvement projects.

The eight-member Host Communities Standing Committee voted unanimously to approve funding requests of $151,000 for the Palace and $244,000 for Hartland, which is planning a multi-phase town park enhancement project.

May 22, 2012
Erie Canal photo contest underway
The seventh annual Erie Canalway photo contest is under way.

Entries are being accepted now through Sept. 7. Winning photos will be published in the 2013 Erie Canalway calendar.

May 22, 2012
Jobless totals drop slightly
Unemployment in the Lockport area decreased slightly last month, but it wasn't because more people are going back to work.

The New York State Department of Labor reported Tuesday about 1,000 city residents were without a job in April, the fifth straight month with over 1,000 unemployed. That was down from the 1,100 it reported in March, however, the number of employed stayed the same at about 9,700 people.

May 22, 2012 4 Stories
Fishing for 'Ultimate' perks
Olcott teaming up with Ontario town in running for Canadian equivalent.

May 22, 2012 2 Photos
Sprinkler work coming
Piping in high school fire sprinkler system will be addressed in July.

May 22, 2012
Willow Street victim identified
The victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Willow Street on Saturday was identified by Lockport Police as Richard Boye, 46.

May 22, 2012
Cutting the travel time
For the most part, there is a lot of planning that goes into traveling. Some like to handle the details on their own, making arrangements on the phone or using travel websites to book hotels, planes, vehicles and so on.

But lately, working with a travel agent is becoming more popular.

May 21, 2012 1 Photo
More Local News Headlines

Local News

Search Results

Q&A: Keith Bond, Middleport resident, fights to have playground repaired

Site Map

Contact Us