On August 1st, 2011 the Southeast
Community Center Rotary Playground was dedicated in
Pierre, SD. Rotarians were met with the beaming
smiles and twinkling eyes of neighborhood children
using the playground equipment. The construction of
this neighborhood playground culminated a Rotary
project which began in October, 2010.
During a Monster Monday Rotary
meeting, the Board directed members to meet in
groups and discuss worthwhile projects for the
community that the Pierre/Ft. Pierre Rotary could
pursue. Bob Barden presented the need for a new
playground at the Southeast Community Center, as the
one currently in use was in disrepair and becoming a
safety hazard for neighborhood children.
The center is located in an
impoverished area and serves that part of the
community in many ways. They have several programs
for children of all ages – both after school and
during the summer. The club accepted the challenge
of providing this new facility for the Center.
Under the guidance of Bob Barden as
project manager and Tim Bjork as fundraising chair,
the work of designing the playground and raising the
funds proceeded through the winter months. In the
spring, the Rotarians razed the old structure and
prepared the site.
Then under the supervision of a
representative from the playground company, they
constructed the new playground. This was no small
task as site preparation included the pouring of
fifty-six concrete footings as well as the spreading
of 130 tons of pea gravel to provide resilient
ground surface protection. Rainstorms and summer
flooding forced the cancellation of construction
dates three different times, further complicating
the project.
The new playground opened on
July12,2011 to the delight and enthusiasm of the
neighborhood children. The playground is handicapped
accessible and made of a material designed to
prevent heat from the summer sun from limiting use.
The slides were strategically positioned to the east
and north to further minimize hot surfaces.
Incorporated in the design are fifteen elevated
playground activities and four ground elevation
activities. In addition, the playground boasts a
climbing wall.
