Recess was a little more exciting this week when kids spilled out of Arbury Hills School to find some new playground equipment to climb on.
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It may look like the red-white-and-blue geodesic dome, the downsized basketball standard and an array of modernized monkey bars bloomed overnight outside the primary school at 19651 S. Beechnut Drive in the unincorporated Mokena subdivision.
But the new play area is a result of months of effort on the part of students and parents, Principal Robert Carlo said.
The Arbury Hills School Association raised money by sponsoring a wrapping paper sale, he said. The sale netted $7,000 to buy the equipment.
Besides doing the selling, the kids were part of the selection process, Carlo said, adding, “We had the children decide what they wanted.”
“The layout that we’re going with is what the kids picked out,” said parent Chet Chrusciel, who spent a busy Saturday morning digging, assembling and finishing off the new play area with about 15 volunteers.
Parent Colleen Blouin said her 7-year-old son, Brian, was all ready for the new playground, adding, “He’s got his basketball in his backpack ready for the Toss n’ Score.”
Remblos said her 9-year-old daughter, Nicole, expects the playground to be especially popular with boys.
“Boys like to climb,” she told her mother.
Some kids did not wait for Monday’s recess. Aubrey Zoller, 9, showed up for a sneak preview, as did Richie Chrusciel, 10.
David MacLean, 10, was working along with the grownups.
“I put some spikes in” to hold down the border, he said. “I helped move things and I helped put stuff together.”
The new playground represents a sense of accomplishment, as well as fun and games.
It is also a lesson in community effort, Remblos said.
“As far as volunteering, people have been great,” she said.