THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 4, 1995 TAG: 9505040364
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SUSAN W. SMITH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
An army of volunteer laborers has been at work all week at Chesapeake City Park, building the biggest and most unusual playground kids around here have ever seen.
Amid the sound of hammers and saws - Fun Forest, an innovative, three-acre play area off Greenbrier Parkway - is beginning to take shape. Four hundred workers participated in the construction project Wednesday, and 300 showed up to help Tuesday, despite chilling rain and gusting winds.
Fun Forest, a brainchild of the Chesapeake Division of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, will feature an array of bridges, slides, swings and tunnels, plus a make-believe castle, forts and a pirate ship.
The project, which is being built entirely with volunteer labor and donated materials and funds, is expected to be completed by Sunday afternoon.
Covering an area about the size of two football fields, the playground will be surrounded by shade trees, quiet picnic areas and flowering gardens. A meandering trail winds past a wall depicting Chesapeake history, central pavilion, a stage with open seating, a rock garden, an ornithology zone, a nature walk, an aquatic sculpture garden, a story circle and a science play area.
For safety's sake, the entire compound is surrounded by a fence with a single entry.
``We worked with the designers to create an environment for communication between parents and children and created with beauty, safety, motor skills, science and learning as well as lots of fun in mind.'' said Mary C. Haddad, coordinator of the community project.
She said organizers expect 125,000 children to visit the playground annually.
Leathers & Associates of Ithaca, N.Y., architects for Fun Forest, also designed Kid's Cove in Virginia Beach and Fort Fun in Newport News. The firm has created about 900 play areas in 45 states and in Canada, Australia and Israel.
The park's $200,000 cost was covered entirely by donations, bake sales, raffles and other fundraisers, and the sale of Fun Forest T-shirts and sweat shirts.
An outdoor stage will be named for Sollie and Vivian Thorpe, whose children made the largest contribution - a $50,000 gift in memory of their parents.
As the volunteers labor to meet Sunday's deadline, other volunteers provide child care and meals and perform other supportive tasks.
John Berti, a professional carpenter, traveled all the way from New York to be a part of the project. Fun Forest will be the eighth giant playground he has helped complete.
Five-year-old Casey Fitchett and several other children in the child care tent were putting Ivory soap on screws to make them easier to use. ``Because I wanted to do something, too,'' explained Casey.
Crews from churches, businesses, schools, Scout troops and civic groups are among the nearly 4,000 volunteers that are expected to participate in the project this week.
``But we still need more helpers,'' said Haddad. ``We've never met a volunteer we couldn't use.''
John Oliphant, a project coordinator, said volunteers with wheelbarrows, hammers and tape measures would be especially welcome. MEMO: To hear a recording of up-to-date-information about Fun Forest or to
volunteer time, money or materials, call 552-2020.
ILLUSTRATION: Color photos by MORT FRYMAN, Staff
The only thing in more supply than supplies is the brawn exhibited
by David Marrion and his crew.
Teddie Thorogood will be bringing her children to the park, which
should be ready by Sunday.
KEYWORDS: PLAYGROUND by CNB