CIRCLEVILLE - After years of hard work and planning the Pakanasink Elementary School’s new playground has finally come to fruition as community members and their children enjoyed music and ice cream at Saturday afternoon’s ribbon cutting ceremony.

“We’re here today at Pakanasink Elementary School to celebrate our two new playgrounds that we’ve been working for the last five years to raise money for,” said school Principal Donna Geidel shortly before the ribbon was cut.

“It’s very exciting for us,” Geidel said.  “We had old equipment that was broken and dilapidated and wasn’t much fun for the children so we wanted to give everybody a nice safe place to play.”

Principal Geidel, left, ready for the ribbon cutting.  Right, the kids are ready to play.

This new playground equipment is constructed from durable plastic-and-steel and replaces the old wooden equipment that had been there for twenty years prior. These two new playgrounds will provide entertainment for grades K-5 and can safely accommodate up to 200 students at a time.

“We have a wonderful school community here and they have all donated a lot of money to get this project off the ground,” said Geidel.  In fact, according to the Chairman of the Pakanasink Playground Fundraising Committee Alison Cain, donations in the form of money and labor came from throughout the community and even as far south as New York City. “It should make the people from Pakanasink and the local businesses and places that contributed feel very good,” said Cain, “600 happy kids, feel good about that.”

“I’m glad that is has finally come to an end and that the children can actually enjoy it,” said PTA member Dawn Darrell who’s son Joseph is in Kindergarten at Pakanasink Elementary. “It’s a safe playground that the children can now play on without any worries,” she said.

As for what her son Joseph thinks of the new playground Dawn noted, “He loves it… he loves it!”