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Money and know-how to make your playground dreams come true
Southwest D.C. does not have safe a public playground for children ages 2-12. The SW Playground Project will beautify the long-neglected park in front of our SW Library, and make it a fun place where young and young-at-heart can come together!
May 18, 2012
Lights, Camera, Action!Your Dream Playground project video is now visible to potential volunteers and donors.
May 08, 2012
Spit & PolishYou've completed your post-build maintenance plan!
May 08, 2012
Site SecuredYou've secured the land for your playground. Want to show us a photo?
A playground can be built in a day, but it takes months of planning and hard work. To get there, we've broken this complex process into eight key steps, or Mile Markers, as you can see in this road map.
Of course, planning such a large project takes teamwork. Within each Mile Marker, the Project Leader and eight planning teams, outlined below, complete key tasks, ensuring that no stone is left unturned.
If everyone on the planning committee follows the roadmap and keeps on top of their tasks, they will make building a playground look easy on the big day!
Flash required.
Building a playground doesn't happen alone. It is indeed a team effort. Find out more about the role of the project leader and all of the teams who work together to make playground dreams come true.
fee4play
10400 points
Task Update: Hold an initial planning meeting, or a Design Day
With our Amidon Elementary School "Name the Playground" Contest, we asked the students to draw a picture of what their ideal playground would look like, and then name it. The submissions are in, and we are ready to judge them, with our guest judge, the Honorable Councilmember Tommy Wells (Ward 6)!
Posted: February 16, 2011 at 05:40 PM
fee4play
10400 points
Task Update: Playground equipment and selecting a vendor
We are pleased with the equipment offered by PlayWorld Systems. It also makes for a good fit for us, as DC Parks and Rec. has worked with them in the past, so we are assured that there were be no problems on Build Day.
Posted: February 16, 2011 at 02:38 PM
fee4play
10400 points
Task Update: Finalize list of food and drink donors
The KaBoom Toolkit has great information. I particularly appreciated the fundraising ideas, and will consider asking our group to do a "Play Booth" during DC's upcoming Cherry Blossom Parade.
Posted: February 16, 2011 at 05:42 PM
fee4play
10400 points
Task Update: Finalize schedule for meals and snacks
This was very encouraging. I think with our wonderful group and resources, we can actually see our vision come to fruition!
Posted: February 16, 2011 at 05:43 PM
fee4play
10400 points
Task Complete: Watch the Mile Marker 1 Roadmap webinar
This was very encouraging. I think with our wonderful group and resources, we can actually see our vision come to fruition!
Posted: February 16, 2011 at 05:43 PM
fee4play
10400 points
Task Complete: Check out the online KaBOOM! Toolkit
The KaBoom Toolkit has great information. I particularly appreciated the fundraising ideas, and will consider asking our group to do a "Play Booth" during DC's upcoming Cherry Blossom Parade.
Posted: February 16, 2011 at 05:42 PM
fee4play
10400 points
Task Complete: Hold a Design Day
With our Amidon Elementary School "Name the Playground" Contest, we asked the students to draw a picture of what their ideal playground would look like, and then name it. The submissions are in, and we are ready to judge them, with our guest judge, the Honorable Councilmember Tommy Wells (Ward 6)!
Posted: February 16, 2011 at 05:40 PM
fee4play
10400 points
Task Complete: Start researching equipment and surfacing vendors
We are pleased with the equipment offered by PlayWorld Systems. It also makes for a good fit for us, as DC Parks and Rec. has worked with them in the past, so we are assured that there were be no problems on Build Day.
Posted: February 16, 2011 at 02:38 PM
fee4play
10400 points
Great Things are Happening!
Hey Everyone,
I just wanted to congratulate the SW Library Playground Project on it's great work thus far! We are organized, have created our promotional materials, have established our bank and Paypal accounts (thanks to the Community Benefits Coordinating Council, our 501(c)(3) sponsor), and have started our corporate fundraising efforts. We have also made contacts and are frequently communicating with DC Parks and Recreation to ensure we meet all necessary standards and criteria. That is ALOT with less than two months under our belts!
For those of you who have joined us but aren't yet active, we still need your share. We are in the design/layout process, and could use your input, as well as helping us spread the word through the SW Community. Please send an email to: SWPlaygroundproject@gmail.com to get involved.
Keep up the wonderful work!
Felicia
Project Manager
Posted: February 16, 2011 at 02:36 PM
poop poop
0 points
SW Library Playground is on Twitter!
A Twitter account has been set up for the SW Library Playground Project. Follow it here: http://twitter.com/SWLPlayground
Posted: January 14, 2011 at 02:40 AM
fee4play
10400 points
Reminder: Meeting @ Library Bsmnt 1/5/11 from 6:30-8:00 pm
If you have not already done so, PLEASE send me your full email address so that I can create a listserve for ease of communications (Kaboom does not allow me to send a mass email to those who have joined this project, and I can only view your screen name when do send msgs.) Thanks!
Felicia aka "fee4play"
feliciacouts@yahoo.com
Posted: January 03, 2011 at 05:14 PM
KaBOOM! Webinars replied:
My email is Rosemary.lombard@gmail.com
Thx
Posted: January 05, 2011 at 05:52 PM
fee4play
10400 points
People and groups that can help our project
Please feel free to add to this brainstorming list:
Mayor
DC Parks and Recreation
Ward 6 Councilmember and staff
DCPS
DC Fire & Rescue
All SW parents of children 2-12
All SW neighborhood churches, synagogues, and other places of worship
Amidon Elementary School
Jefferson Middle School
All vendors along 4th and G Streets SW
NASA
Arena Stage developers
Capitol Riverfront developers
McDonald's
7-Eleven Store
Southwest Fisherman's Wharf businesses
Post Office (for bulk mailings)
Local media venues (Southwester, Hill Rag, etc., television, radio)
Posted: December 14, 2010 at 10:11 PM
fee4play
10400 points
Draft Fundraising Approach
Please see the proposed fundraising approach under "Files" submitted by Eve Brooks and Melissa Rohan, chairs of the fundraising committee. This is the biggest hurdle for our group to overcome -- raising the money we need to build our playground. So please provide any ideas, contacts, or resources you may have.
Posted: December 14, 2010 at 09:30 PM
fee4play
10400 points
Group Meeting Wed, Dec. 15th @ 6:30 pm
Agenda: To create teams and assign tasks to meet our mile markers.
Please email feliciacouts@yahoo.com to RSVP. We are hoping to obtain the multipurpose room on the lower level of the libraray for this meeting. Will confirm as soon as possible.
Posted: December 11, 2010 at 06:19 PM
fee4play replied:
Just to confirm, the meeting will be in the SOW Room at the Library at 6:30 pm Wednesday, Dec. 15th. Hope to see most of you there!
Posted: December 14, 2010 at 04:54 PM
fee4play
10400 points
Welcome to SW Library Playground!
The Friends of SW Library Playground dreams of placing specially-designed and unique pieces of play equipment in the wonderfully-shaded areas beside our library. The pieces will build physical and social skills, while promoting exploration for young minds.
Posted: November 23, 2010 at 10:59 PM
fee4play replied:
Our group plans to clean up the SW Library Park this Saturday, Dec. 11th at 11 am. Please join us and bring a rake! Also consider supporting the Friends of SW Library's book fair with a donation of $10. RSVP to feliciacouts@yahoo.com or janejorgensen@verizon.net. Hope to see you there!
Posted: December 08, 2010 at 08:27 PM
fee4play replied:
Thanks to everyone who helped to rake leaves at the Park today! We had about 10 in attendance total, and many passersby took note of and encouraged our work! It was a great opportunity to get out and work together and begin to invision what our future playground will look like!
P.S. I think my rake was mistakenly taken by one of our volunteers. Lightweight, black wire with a long light wood handle. If you find you have it, please let me know as we miss it. Thanks!
Posted: December 11, 2010 at 06:25 PM
Nate Rosenthal replied:
This sounds like an awesome project! I'm so glad to hear about your plans and excited to read through all of the progress you're making. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help, or if you have any questions about the playground planning or building process.
Posted: January 06, 2011 at 04:16 PM
fee4play replied:
Thanks, Nate!
The group met last night at the library, and everyone signed up for various committees so we can get crackin'. There's fundraising, communications, workplan (timelines), licenses & permits, and the design & building committee. I'm compiling everyone's contact information and committee assignments. If you email me with your full email address, I will include you on it so you can choose for yourself. We'd love to have your help!
Felicia, Playground Project Manager
aka "fee4play" - feliciacouts@yahoo.com
Posted: January 06, 2011 at 07:38 PM
Nate Rosenthal replied:
I just sent you an email! Sounds great - I'm going to see if you'd like to take a sneak peak at the redesign we're currently working on (it's structured around committees, so it sounds like a great match for your project!).
Posted: January 07, 2011 at 11:19 AM