Ben Franklin opens new playground

By Brian Marschhauser
Of Yorktown News

A “cut the ribbon!” chant broke out on the grounds of Ben Franklin Elementary School shortly before 10 a.m. Tuesday as students celebrated the official opening of their new $100,000 playground.

Sen. Greg Ball, who helped secure a $75,000 state grant to make the project possible, was more than happy to oblige.

Ben Franklin, a school of 600 students, previously had one playground that is capable of holding 75 students at a time. In 2011, the school raised $20,000 to build a new swing set as the first phase of the project. The grant allowed the Lakeland Central School District to complete the project.

“I know that projects like this don’t just come together very quickly,” Ball said. “I have never worked before, throughout my district, that is more professional and cares more about the students. And this project is an example.”

To signify the grand opening of the playground, Ben Franklin held a school-wide assembly near the newly-constructed playground.

“This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for,” said Patricia McIlvenny-Moore, principal of Ben Franklin Elementary. “We’ve been waiting for two years for our new playground and our new swings. I know you’ve been watching this being built over the last month, and now today, we’re going to be cutting the ribbon.”

The swing set was built as part of Ben Franklin’s “Play On” project, which seeks to fight childhood obesity and promote activity during recess.

“Childhood obesity is an epidemic that we are just beginning to grapple with the reality and consequences of,” Ball said. “Physical conditioning is a critical component of a broader education and these early building blocks set the stage for future health.

The Ben Franklin Elementary Playground Committee was formed in 2011 when the idea for the new playground was first raise. The committee, along with PTA and district officials, helped turn the dream of a new playground into a reality.

“Two years ago, the Ben Franklin playground committee was formed having no idea what we were getting ourselves into,” said committee President Karen Brown. “We had no idea how much money had to be raised, but were determined to update the play equipment before our children graduated.”

Ball was impressed with Lakeland’s determination in getting the playground built.

“The way the school expedited this grant, there are some schools that probably, when you guys are high school seniors, still wouldn’t see the playground,” Ball told the students.

The grant was secured through an agreement between the Senate, the Assembly and the Governor’s office.