Fundraiser set for all-ability playground in Reeves Park
PHOENIXVILLE » The Kiwanis Club of Phoenixville and the Phoenixville Jaycees are partnering with the Borough of Phoenixville to build an allability playground in Reeves
Melissa Gibbons, director of the Recreation Department, has been an integral part of the committee, as the service clubs work to meet all the specifications of previous playgrounds and Borough streetscapes to fit into Phoenixville. The committee has met with vendors to understand the advantages and challenges of a project of this scope. Based on their recommendation, the plan is to remove the existing swings and playground built in the 1990s. The new playground will be located where the current swing set is situated. A new swing set is incorporated into the new playground. The plan includes a rubberized safety base for wheelchair access as well as a perimeter fence to ensure safety.
The project is planned to be completed in three phases. The first phase will be the actual playground and poured safety base. The plan includes a play section for 2- to 5-yearolds and a section designed for older children. The equipment will be all-ability pieces.
The second phase will be the installation of new restrooms. Two unisex, handicapped-accessible rest rooms will replace the existing rest rooms in the bandshell. Both will be entered from the Third Avenue side of the bandshell and will have time-activated locks allowing them to operate during park hours from April until October. The final phase will be the installation of fencing, bike rack, trash receptacles and other landscaping features.
With a total budget of nearly $400,000, the Kiwanis Club and the Jaycees are implementing multiple avenues of fundraising, including grants, crowd funding, and other fundraising events to raise awareness of and community support for this much-needed project. Almost $40,000 has been raised to date and many grants are in the works.
The next fundraising event will be a live/silent benefit auction and spaghetti dinner to be held on Saturday, March 10, at Kimberton Fire Company, Covered Bridge Room. The doors will open at 5 p.m. and the spaghetti dinner will be served from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
The evening will feature silent auctions with electronic bidding using the Bidpay program. There will also be a basket raffle, 50/50 raffle and live auctions throughout the evening.
Franco LoPresti of Franco Ristorante is donating the entire dinner for this event.
Tickets cost $25 per person and are available by calling 610-935-1198. Tickets can also be purchased from Foresta’s Country Meat Market, 1098 W. Bridge St., Phoenixville or Franco Ristorante, 226 Bridge St., Phoenixville. Tickets will be available at the door if the event is not sold out ahead of time.
Anyone wishing to make a direct donation to the playground can do so by visiting the Crowdrise site at www. crowdrise.com/phoenixvillekiwanisauction2018.
More information about the playground, including additional renderings of the proposed equipment, can soon be found at www.phoenixvilleplayground.org.
For further information about the auction, contact John Keenan, auction chairman, at 610-246-5388.