Playgrounds set for all primary schools by 2006

Advertiser Staff

The state Department of Education plans to have at least one equipped playground at each elementary school by 2006, seven years after the department was forced to rip out or condemn equipment that did not meet federal safety standards.

Some playgrounds that contained equipment that could not be removed have been roped off with yellow caution tape, a constant reminder to students and school staff of the difficulty the DOE has had in solving the problem. At some schools, parents have raised money to help the department replace the unsafe equipment, while the military has helped out at others.

The DOE announced Thursday that 120 playground projects have been completed since construction started in December 2001. Sixty-nine other projects are expected to be completed by September. Projects at 28 schools are scheduled for the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 fiscal years.