Calling A Community To Build A Playground

If if takes a village to raise a child, it will take a community to build the new Iron Point playground in Flanders.

After months of planning and fundraising, a playground at Iron Point Park in Flanders is slated to be constructed this April.  

And now, the time has come to actually construct the playground -- and the community's help is needed.

To that end, a "build day" will be held on Saturday, April 13, at 8 a.m. at the end of wood trail at Iron Point Park. "We need to recruit your help," Nancy Lynott, director of the Southampton Town Youth Bureau said, at a meeting of the Flanders, Riverside and Northampton Community Association Monday night.

Community help is not only critical, Southampton Town Councilman Chris Nuzzi said -- but a condition of the grant. The playground must be built by community members. 

Although a contractor will have already installed 18 necessary posts, help is needed to erect play equipment, Lynott said.

The build day will include refreshments; the playground vendor will be onhand and the playground has already been designed. "We really just need people," she said. "We don't need anyone with special skills -- just a little bit of carrying and lifting, and supporting. We hope you'll be able to join us."

A total of at least 75 individuals, including at least 30 to 40 adults, are needed, Lynott said. "Let your friends and neighbors know about it."

Lynott siad the Flanders Fire Department, ambulance volunteers, Southampton Town police and Little League members have all expressed interest in helping.

"I think it will be some work but we're going to have fun, too," Lynott said.

One FRNCA member said she'd like to help with landscaping. Lynott said so far, the focus has been on equipment on fencing.

FRNCA president Brad Bender said at some point a new manual scoreboard would be needed for the ballfield. "Ours is in bad shape," he said.

The Southampton Town Youth Bureau, Lynott said last May, won a $15,000 "Let's Play" construction grant from the Dr. Pepper/Snapple group, to be used to create a new playground at the site in conjunction with the Kaboom! organization.

Iron Point Park is located at the end of Wood Road Trail, off of Route 24 in Flanders.

Plans for Iron Point Park designate 22 acres of the 144 acre parcel for a park, incluing a playground and a Little League ballfield, already in place. The playground, Lynott said, will be a minimum of 2500 square feet.

The first phase of the project includes installation of equipment for five to 12 year olds, with toddler equipment to follow.  

The grant, Lynott added, requires Southampton Town to work with a select group of venders that discounted the playground equipment.

For some time, Lynott said, kids from the Flanders/Riverside community have been asking for a playground. "There really is no playground right now between Route 105 and Hampton Bays," Lynott said. "This was their idea.

"Outdoor and active play is very important for kids, especially these days, when there are so many distractions from physical play. It's very important, but right now, the kids who live in this community have no access without someone having to drive them someplace else," Lynott said. "It's great for their health, and great for their social development."

The playground will also benefit families who come to watch Little League games at the park, Lynott said.

Lynott thanked FRNCA and the community for their fundraising efforts and support. "We couldn't have done it without you all," she said.

The Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group grant was awarded as part of the company's "Let's Play" program aimed at getting kids active and fixing up 2000 playgrounds nationwide by the end of 2013, Nuzzi said.

Since receiving the grant in April, 2013, the Southampton Town Youth Bureau has been working to raise matching funds, a requirement of the grant.

Fundraising events have included a car wash and jewelry party and support from FRNCA, the Bayview Pines Civic Association, the Town of Southampton and Riverhead Building Supply.

The playground was designed with community input, and will be geared toward kids five through 12, with a toddler's section to come.

Southampton Town Councilman Chris Nuzzi also thanked FRNCA members for their support.

“The playground will be a great addition to the park and will be ready for young families to enjoy right in time for the start of the Flanders Little League season,” Nuzzi said. "The youth in Flanders represent a large portion of their population so it’s important that they have places where they can enjoy being outdoors and get physical activity.” 

Tools, supplies, and refreshments will be provided, and direction and supervision will be conducted by the playground vendor. To sign up and be part of this community project benefitting local youth, or for more information, call (631) 702-2424 or email khurst@southamptontowntownny.gov .

The playground will also benefit families who come to watch Little League games at the park, Lynott said.

"This has been a community desire for quite some time and is a perfect complement to the existing ballfields," Nuzzi said. "I'm excited to continue to work with the residents on this park project, another step in the the development of an amazing public resource in a great community."

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