Playground Perseverance
“In the realm of ideas, everything depends on enthusiasm.
In the real world, all rests on perseverance.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
A week or so ago, I met a Petra mom in front of the building to save her a trip in (she was dropping off a tuition check and I happened to be outside checking the mail). As she got out of her vehicle, her young son followed her. “Hello!” I said. “When’s the playground going to be done?” he asked, without missing a beat. Before I could respond, his mother jumped in and gently said to him, “It will be done when it’s done, and it will be great.”
Though the mom was a little embarrassed by her son’s directness, I appreciated her hopeful answer in response to his honest question, particularly in light of the news I need to communicate here: due to materials for the first four elements being delayed in their delivery until September 13, the first phase of our playground will not be installed by the first day of school. I apologize that we communicated – but missed – this expectation.
The good news is, as of ten days ago, we have marked the irrigation lines running beneath the surface of the playground area, and are working with board member (and landscape business owner) Steve Mayville on the excavation plan for the various sites and needed concrete bases for the individual pieces to be ready when they arrive. We hope to have the majority of the site preparation finished in time by the September 13 delivery, after which we will then invite the community to join us in assembling and attaching the individual pieces. If all goes well, the elements would be up no later than the end of September.
Again, my apologies for the bad news, but I was thankful for the words of a Petra dad I spoke with about the playground status last week when he said, “Well, it will be good for the kids to see it being built rather than just falling out of the sky. Good things take work to come into existence and it’s okay for our kids to see that.”
I appreciated the perspectives of both of these Petra parents, and while I wish there was no need for them, I felt it important to let you (and your students) know about the delay before school begins. I welcome any further questions, and would ask that you communicate to your students my apologies and that we will persevere.