Long-awaited playground nears completion
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Equipment for a new playground at Dunkirk Intermediate School has finally arrived and is in place. Meanwhile, another playground on city-leased school district land is gone.
The playground on Eagle Street next to the intermediate school was supposed to be finished last summer, but the equipment never showed up until November.
"The equipment had been on order for about nine months," said Tim Abbey, district buildings and grounds chief. "The next opportunity for installation was delayed due to spring for better construction weather."
The playground still isn't finished yet.
"We expect the playground to be fully open once we finish the final landscaping, fencing and installation of the safety surface," Abbey said. "All of those items are weather dependent."
The new playground is intended to replace one near the corner of Marauder Drive and Lucas Avenue. That playground was around 20 years old and city officials had concerns about its safety.
Dunkirk Common Council member Nancy Nichols said in October that the Lucas Avenue playground was supposed to be removed by July 8. However, it stayed up until recently because the new playground's equipment wasn't delivered yet. Several community members expressed concerns, when the playground plan was announced, about the potential loss of play space for kids if the old one was removed before the new one went in.
The Lucas Avenue site was cleared April 22, according to Dunkirk Department of Public Works Director Randy Woodbury. He noted the playground there was not compliant with current safety codes.
Abbey said the former playground site will be "converted back to green space."