Los Gatos Weekly-Times Photograph by George Sakkestad Jager Norman (front) and Jack Hogan learn the tools of the trade--with a little help from parent volunteer Pam DiRossi. Playground Rules Thanks to 350 volunteers, kids become royalty in this new kingdom By Shari Kaplan Like happy hamsters in a giant Habitrail, children cannot resist the sturdy, multi-level apparatus that beckons them to come run, climb, squeal, hide and jump among its slides, steps, tunnels, bridges and other fun features. The large, mostly wooden structure, built around and through the branches of a gnarled old pepper tree, is appropriately called the Treehouse--one of several additions to the Los Gatos Parent Nursery School's newly renovated playground. The fanciful domain, known collectively as Kids' Kingdom, is located on the school's campus at 15 Lyndon Ave. The playground also includes a smaller play/climbing area with a lighthouse and boat theme, a water play area where kids can pump water down a rock-lined miniature "stream" and revel in the pebbly puddles, a covered sandbox conveniently near the water, a grassy knoll and a paved path for tricycle riding and walking. The Kids' Kingdom, custom-designed by New York-based Leathers & Associates with input from parents as well as students, is remarkable enough just to look at. What's even more remarkable is the story behind the playground's polished appearance: it was built entirely by volunteers. Project coordinator Beth Leary, who has a son who graduated from LGPNS this spring and another son who will enroll next year, likens the effort to an old-fashioned barn-raising. "It's been so rewarding. This was a big and far-reaching project. The kids say things like 'come and see the playground that mommy and daddy built!' They can't wait to get out and play," Leary says with a smile. "They don't spend time talking about it, they just go out and play on it!" counters LGPNS teacher Heidi Bowman, laughing. All parents with children in the school put in at least six four-hour shifts, with most of the work taking place between Oct. 21 and Oct. 25. In addition to these built-in work crews, hundreds of volunteers poured in from the South Bay and beyond. According to Leary, more than 350 people--from teenagers to senior citizens--put in more than 4,000 volunteer hours by the time the project was completed earlier this month. To expedite the project, Leary and her helpers matched people who were familiar with construction with people who had no prior experience. Before the end of the project, Leary says, the first-timers had already learned a great deal. Tasks, many of which involved the use of power tools, included sanding, cutting, nailing, hammering and sawing. Tools were either loaned or donated to the cause; food and drinks to refresh the volunteers were also mainly donated by individuals and businesses. Among the volunteers were students from St. Mary's School and Monta Vista, Presentation, Bellarmine, Archbishop Mitty, Homestead and Los Gatos high schools; LGPNS alumni and their families, friends and neighbors; and members of the Volunteer Exchange, City Year, Job Corps, Los Gatos Kiwanis Club and Habitat for Humanity. Some men and women from the Department of Corrections were also assigned to the project. They eagerly pitched in alongside the other volunteers, Leary says, and even expressed interest in coming back to do additional work. The keys to the kingdom were cast earlier this year, when Leathers & Associates representatives came to LGPNS to talk with parents and staff about what they wanted in a new playground. Students were given the chance to draw and color their own versions of equipment--input that helped shape the playground's design. This is what the playground design company stands for: community-developed and built facilities that everyone can feel a part of. "This was just an extraordinary gift of time from people. If they saw a need, they helped out," Mary Beth MacLean, LGPNS president, says of the constant flow of volunteers. "Our philosophy was, if we made it ourselves, it would be better. Just like homemade chocolate chip cookies taste so much better than store-bought ones! This was a tiring but bonding experience--kind of like going on a big, long camping trip together." The school's previous playground was installed in the early 1970s and received some upgrades in the late 1980s. It was not, however, in compliance with all of California's safety and wheelchair accessibility standards that playgrounds must possess by the year 2000. Kids' Kingdom has changed that. LGPNS is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide quality early childhood development and parenting courses in the Los Gatos community. It is funded in part by the Adult Education division of the Los Gatos-Saratoga Department of Community Education and Recreation. Parents, after taking the appropriate classes, take turns teaching in their children's school. The first LGPNS opened in May 1946 on Glenridge Avenue and moved to its current location in November 1947. A fire destroyed the original school house on Lyndon Avenue in October 1967, but thanks to volunteer efforts and a flea market held at Old Town, the school was rebuilt by September 1968. [ Back to Contents Page | Los Gatos Weekly-Times Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, November 18, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.