Renovating recess

Kristofer Larson has some changes in mind for the kindergarten playground at Blue Ridge Elementary School. “I want a bigger slide,” the 5-year-old said. “Much bigger.”

Whether or not his exact wish will come true, Kristofer’s playground will see improvement as part of a grant from the City Council. Blue Ridge is one of four elementary schools in the Columbia Public School District that will each get $15,000 to buy better equipment for their outdoor playgrounds.

The council has allotted money for school playgrounds since 1998. Mike Griggs, park services manager for the city, said it gets the money from the park sales tax. To be eligible, schools must be near parks that have no similar playground equipment and must agree to let the public use their facilities during nonschool hours, Griggs said.

“It is a great opportunity for the school and the city to partner together to build a playground used by both school and neighborhood families when school is not in session,” said Blue Ridge Principal Tim Majerus.

The four elementary schools — Blue Ridge, Russell Boulevard, Ridgeway and Mill Creek — have not yet decided what kinds of equipment they are going to buy, but some have begun working on the process. Blue Ridge, for example, will have a committee made up of the principal, a kindergarten teacher and two parents to decide what pieces on the kindergarten playground will be kept, which will go and what equipment will be added, Majerus said.

He said he hopes the committee can make a final decision on how to improve the playground in a month or two and estimated the whole improvement project could be finished at the start of school in August. Once it’s done, the kindergartners, and probably the first- and second-graders, can use the new playground, he said. Right now, Blue Ridge has three playgrounds: one for the preschool, one for the kindergarten and one for first through fifth grades.

“It’s important for children to have a nice and safe place to play,” said Amanda Wright, a kindergarten teacher and member of the committee at Blue Ridge.

Majerus said the current playground hasn’t been updated for a long time, perhaps as long as 15 to 20 years, and has reached its limit of usefulness. That’s why he decided to write a letter to Michael Hood, director of Parks and Recreation, asking for city funding. In addition to the $15,000, Blue Ridge’s PTA is working to raise $7,000 for the new playground — for a total of $22,000 for new equipment.

Majerus said school district employees will install the equipment, provide adequate rain drainage for the playground and add appropriate ground cover, such as 14 inches of mulch, to provide safe play surfaces for children.

Russell Boulevard Elementary has a similar process under way. Assistant Principal Ruth Gardner said the school has formed a committee and plans to choose a company before Christmas that can help decide which pieces of equipment to buy.

Improvements will be made to the school’s lower playground, where students from pre-kindergarten through second grade play. The project will remove old pieces, including some made of wood, and add a large structure that has not yet been designed.

Gardner said people who go to nearby Kiwanis Park can come over to use the playground.

“One reason for the application,” she said, “is that we know the public facilities can be used by citizens in Columbia.”