By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – A community playground that draws children from Cheektowaga, Lancaster and Depew is under major reconstruction to make it safer.
The playground is located at the Cayuga Heights Elementary School playground on Como Park Boulevard. It is actually in the town of Lancaster, just beyond Depew. It's a big draw for the school children and others living nearby. But the old wooded play structure -- built back in the mid-80s -- doesn't provide a safe haven for kids. It was built with pressure treated wood containing chemicals, something no longer recommended for playground. Crews began tearing it down last week.
"It has to come down. There have been too many injuries, and the fact that it is made with pressure treated wood, it could eventually cause problems. We thought this was the best time to start," said Lisa Hyman, a teacher at Cayuga Heights and co-chair of the playground committee. "So come September 1st, after repairs are conducted underground, we will start putting in a new playground."
The new playground will have elaborate features filling up 100,000 square feet of space.
"We are going to have a pirate ship, a fire truck and what is called our lobby unit, plus monkey bars, swings and critters for the kids to crawl in and out of," Hyman said.
The playground will also be handicapped accessible. Cayuga Heights Principal Robert Puchalski says it will allow children with physical disabilities to enjoy the new play area.
"We have a number of handicap kids who have a tough time getting in and out of the play yard. The new one will be handicapped accessible," Puchalski said. "It will be accessible to all the children at our school in addtion to all the people in the community."
The new playground will also meet EPA standards. A project committee managed to raise $45,000 help pay for the new play area. And just a couple of weeks ago, State Senator Dale Volker delivered a $55,000 check for the replacement work.