By Pepper Fisher

PORT ANGELES – With the massive community build portion of the new Dream Playground in Port Angeles complete, it’s time for contractors to move in and finish the ground-level surfacing needed to get the facility safely open for visitors.

President of the Dream Playground Foundation Steve Methner told KONP that the design firm described the week-long effort as “an ideal build”, thanks to the huge turnout of volunteers. He said a contractor will begin installing the engraved pavers this week, and the surfacing contractor will, on Monday, begin the enormous job of installing the artificial turf that will cover much of the grounds.

Methner said by the time the insurance had come through with the half million dollar settlement following the December fire that destroyed the previous playground, the community had already raised well over $100,000 in donations. That left a lot of money to make the new playground bigger and better than ever. We asked Methner to describe some of the new features young visitors will find when the playground opens.

“So, what we were able to do is add an expanded front entry area where the orca whales are, and we’re putting in what are called Play Mounds that particularly small kids can just roll around on all they want. They can climb on the whales, they can roll around on the turf. The other two big toys that we were able to add, one of them I think of as a giant spinning Christmas tree, but it’s a large Merry-Go-Round with a tree climber in the middle of it. And then the final extra that we’re able to do is called an inclusive bouncer, that is somewhat like a trampoline, but it’s pretty gentle and it’s flush with the play surface. So anybody can walk onto it, can roll onto it, of any ability, and and enjoy this bouncer.”

Methner said there’s a chance they’ll be able to open the Dream Playground at the end of this month, when the turf contractor is scheduled complete their work, but he certainly expects to open no later than June 9, which is the date of the dedication ceremony and the official opening.

(Photo courtesy of Jay Cline)