Flint Park Playground Afloat: Volunteers, DPW Pitch In

photos by Judy Silberstein, Pat Allen & Paula Eisenberg

By Thursday, September 23, 2004 - the little kid playground was almost "ship-shape"

(September 23, 2004) New play equipment for big and little kids has risen from a soggy Flint Park site, despite severe interference over the weekend from storms and puddles left by Hurricane Ivan. Starting on Friday, September 19 and continuing throughout the weekend and into the week, the playground developed from a few wet holes in the ground, to an almost complete set of climbers, slides, swings and other "large toys." The build required a lot of work, including: help from playground consultant Brett Haddaway, organizational leadership from Brigid Brennan and Chris Verni of the Flint Park Playground Committee and Catherine Kortlandt from the Flint Park Conservancy, untiring support from the Larchmont Department of Public Works, involvement of over 70 additional volunteers, and lots of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chips and snacks supplied by Girl Scout Troop 2522.

A 9-person crew from the DPW was the backbone of the operation: they dug foundation holes ahead of the community build; did a large amount of heavy lifting, and worked throughout the weekend and into the week to finish up. Next: they'll be finishing the grading and landscape work. Girl Scout Troop 2522 supplied the P&J to "fuel" the operation over the weekend.