By Valentina Zic / Staff Writer

Tuesday, April 8, 2003

Waban residents are hoping that by fall, they will have already put to use the brand new playground they are planning to build on Lincoln Warren Field at the intersection of Moffat and Montclair roads.

"After the winter we've had, everyone will be dying to get out," said Theresa Fitzpatrick, one of the neighbors working on the project.

Right now, all that is at the site, is some old, and, according to some parents, unsafe equipment.

After an independent audit found more than 1200 potential violations at city playgrounds, the city began a major overhaul of them, fixing loose screws, resurfacing play areas, and adding informational signs. The plan at Lincoln Warren Field, however, which has been organized by resident Christopher Pitts, is for the neighbors themselves to remove the old equipment and replace it with their own.

The new playground will include a fully enclosed toddler area and an area for elementary school-age children including slides, climbing structures, and a club house.

The city has pledged $12,500 towards the new playground and several corporate sponsors have already agreed to help out. Both Auburndale Co-operative Bank - which recently merged with Newton South Cooperative Bank to became The Village Bank - and Fleet Bank are on board as sponsors. Sage Builders in Newton has also volunteered $15,000 of services.

But the group is still looking to raise an additional $28,991 for the playground, which they hope to do via mass mailings, phone-a-thons, bake sales, and other events such as the Movie Day they planning at the West Newton movie theater. On May 10 at 9:15 a.m. the group will be showing "The Tigger Movie" as a fundraiser.

Because there is no functional playground in the vicinity, residents of west Waban have been going to Richardson Field with their children. That option, however, was not attractive to many, Fitzpatrick said, since not only did they have to drive, but the field didn't have a toddler area.

"There is no public playground within walking distance of western Waban," Fitzpatrick said. "That's why were so excited to have this built." The only other playground in the area is Angier Elementary School's playground, but that too, was designed for elementary-school-aged children.

Fitzpatrick sees playgrounds as an essential part of community life, especially for small children and their parents.

"It's a great way to meet your neighbors," she said.

Valentina Zic can be reached at vzic@cnc.com.