When the 25-year-old playground at the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center was deemed unsafe and condemned in April after a child was injured playing, it didn’t take long for Valley residents, businesses and volunteers to turn what could have been a sad story into a positive one.
The fruits of those efforts were realized this weekend as scores of volunteers worked in scorching hot temperatures to build, from scratch, what Ansonia Nature Center Director Alison Rubelman called “the most unique and original playground in the state of Connecticut.’’
Work on that playground began Friday morning and if all went on schedule would be completed in time for the first kids to play on it this coming Monday morning.
The playground, Rubelman said, would include: 8‑foot tube slides, climbing walls, tire swings, wall towers, and a separate section just for tots – just to list a few of its features.
Rubelman said that the Friends of Ansonia Nature Center, after spreading the word and receiving thousands upon thousands of responses through social media, raised more than $30,000 for the playground which will be used by, she said, about 6,000 Valley children once it opens.
“People were just very sad about the old playground being torn down,’’ Rubelman said, “and determined to make something good come out it.’’
On Friday, both supervising the beginning stages of the work and doing a lot of it himself, was Larry Janesky, founder and president and chief executive officer of Basement Systems, Inc. of Seymour.
Janesky said he expected that by the time the playground was finished Sunday night that “about 100’’ of his employees would have spent some of their weekend time on the playground project.
Janesky said: “We’ve done projects like this before,’’ stating the company remodeled a church just last year in Bridgeport with 150 volunteer workers. “We like to get our hands dirty, especially if it’s doing things than can benefit kids.’’
Basement Systems wasn’t the only company sweating – and working – on Friday morning. Volunteers from Prudential and Hilton companies were also at the nature center, lending a hand.
One of the Prudential helpers was Steve Silverman, who said he “just wanted to give back.’’
Silverman brought his 14-year-old son Jason Silverman along. Jason said he “couldn’t wait’’ to try out the new playground equipment.
And those volunteers weren’t just company workers. Also helping out was Ansonia Public Works Department worker Kevin Cegelka.
“I just came down to assist them with anything they need help with. I just wanted to help,” Cegelka said.
