GREENE – For many years, the Village of Greene “Ball Flats” park has served as a location for the community to gather for public events like the Labor Day picnic, little league games and festivals. Recently, a group of Greene residents formed the Greene Community Ball Flats Playground Planning Committee with it's sights set on revitalizing the underutilized public facility.
In April of 2009, ownership of the Ball Flats passed from the Greene Central School District to the Village and Town of Greene. Despite efforts to maintain the facilities, the existing playground had to be removed in 2010 due to deterioration and insurance liability.
Due to the rising costs of playground equipment and insurance compounded by the no-so-distant memory of two recent floods that inundated the Ball Flats; the Village and Town has refrained from replacing the playground.
A group of residents are now heeding the call for action and are interested in addressing the lack of a public playground in the immediate community, and are reaching out to the community and local businesses for participation, input and funding.
“Currently, there is no place in the Greene area for children to play with the exception of the school playgrounds. Since the security at many schools has been intensified in recent years, no one is allowed on school property or playgrounds during hours of instruction... if people try to enter the school property, they are generally asked to leave.”
“We need to have a place for families with younger children to use during the school day, within walking distance from the village,” said Marcia Miller, Co-chair of the playgrounds committee.
Miller added, “We want to build something that can accommodate up to about 35 children – around the size of the old structure that was taken down. The new equipment will be ADA compliant and installed by the manufacturer to ensure it's integrity.”
The committee has approached the Greene Inter Municipal Parks Committee with a proposal to establish fundraising effort – which was approved – and have made a goal to have a Ball Flats Playground in place by 2015.
The newly formed committee has hosted a handful of public meetings and have met with representatives from leading manufacturers of playgrounds to discuss budgeting and feasibility. Said Miller, “We've met with three vendors at previous meetings and have narrowed the decision down to two, we will most likely start that process at our January meeting.”
As of now, the playground fund has an estimated $7,000 head start on the project, approximately 10 percent of the $70,000 target funding goal.
According to Miller, the committee is looking into grant funding to bolster the fundraising efforts for the new playground. (The committee) sent out more than 200 canvas letters to local businesses to make them aware of the need of local support, some of which are paying back in dividends.
Already, The Greene Community Playground Committee has already proudly partnered with a number of local businesses to make the ADA compliant playground a reality for the children of Greene and surrounding areas.
Roger’s Auto Body of Smithville Flats, Wrench’s Village Auto Service and Tri-County Collision located south of the village on state Highway 12 have pledged $10 for every vehicle they tow from an accident or breakdown for one year starting January 1, 2014.
Also partnering with the cause, Mimi's Italian Cuisine has pledged to donate to the Greene Community Playground Committee $1 for every entrée purchased with their coupon which is available at the restaurant. “We're really hoping that by making the public aware of who our co-sponsor are they'll be more apt to shop or dine there,” said Miller.
Chenango Sales Ford dealership on state Route 12 in Greene has agreed to pledge to make a donation as well.
The Playground Committee remain optimistic that other local businesses will realize the and beneficial impact the project will offer to the community as a whole and consider the playground project as they plan budgets and fund raising for the upcoming year. “Anyone can become a sponsor of the Playground Project,” said Miller.
Miller said, “Hopefully other businesses will consider a contribution to the Greene Community Ball Flats Playground or consider sponsorship of a playground component. Every gift will be acknowledged publicly.” She noted that,“The community came together to raise funding and build the first playground, we're looking to do the same thing again.”
To keep the Playgrounds contributions charitable and tax-exempt, the Greene Labor Day Picnic Association, Inc. has agreed to serve as fiscal manager and sponsor of this initiative.
For more information or to donate to the Greene playground, contact Jan Strain at 656-9234 or Marcia Miller 656-8751. Checks should be directed to the Greene Labor Day Picnic Association, Inc. and the memo line should indicate Playground Fund. Those wanting to stay up to date about Greene Community Playground initiative can visit its Facebook page – Greene Community Ball Flats Playground.