Fredonia celebrates new Wheelock playgrounds
Students and staff at the Wheelock Early Childhood Center attended a ribbon cutting for the district’s new playgrounds on Wednesday afternoon.
Students and staff at the Wheelock Early Childhood Center attended a ribbon cutting for the district’s new playgrounds on Wednesday afternoon.
Students and staff at the Wheelock Early Childhood Center attended a ribbon cutting for the district’s new playgrounds on Wednesday afternoon.
Students and staff at the Wheelock Early Childhood Center attended a ribbon cutting for the district’s new playgrounds on Wednesday afternoon.
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Wednesday afternoon was a day of celebration at Fredonia's Wheelock campus. Students packed the Chestnut street playground to watch as a ribbon was cut to ceremonially open the district's two newest playgrounds.
Following a short speech from Superintendent Dr. Brad Zilliox, Board of Education President Steve Johnston grabbed a pair of large scissors to cut an orange ribbon to celebrate the occasion. The event was held to honor all of the work along the way to seeing two new playgrounds at Wheelock come to fruition.
Wheelock Principal Amy Piper felt thankful on Wednesday for all the people who supported the project. Piper said that children learn most through having a place to play and a safe environment to do so, and the district's new playgrounds provide exactly that.
Zilliox credited Young & Wright Architectural, Buffalo Construction Consultants, and Parkitects for their efforts in designing and managing the project throughout the construction of both playgrounds. The Fredonia PTO was commended for providing popcorn for the students and staff to enjoy at the ribbon cutting.
The upgrades to both playgrounds totaled approximately $1 million. The work is part of Proposition 1 of the district's 2024 Capital Project, which amounted to roughly $22.1 million worth of maintenance upgrades to the district. All of the work in Proposition 1 – playgrounds included – resulted in a tax increase of 1.9% for district taxpayers.
Zilliox thanked the school community for supporting the project, including district taxpayers who Zilliox told the students include many of their parents, as well as the staff. He then credited the Board of Education for its support of the project, which was approved in late 2024. The group of students and staff cheered loudly as Zilliox recognized Piper for her efforts, as well as the entire Wheelock staff.
Zilliox also highlighted the efforts of Elliana Leone, a Fredonia student with the condition of Spina Bifida, who advocated along with her mother, Kristi, for an accessible playground for students of all ages and abilities.
While the ribbon was cut on Wednesday, many of the students had already tried out the new equipment. The Chestnut Street playground finished in September, and the Main Street playground on the other side of the building wrapped up a week prior to Wednesday's event. Slight delays pushed the construction into the school year, and not wanting to delay the process any longer than necessary, children were welcomed on the playground as soon as it was deemed safe and complete.