News | Article and
video from The Press Enterprise
Fontana park gets face-lift courtesy
of volunteers
by Imran Ghori
View the video from The Press Enterprise
Fontana (August 31, 2007) - An army of volunteers
descended upon North Tamarind Park on Thursday morning, giving
the aging park a bright makeover in a matter of hours.
About 300 volunteers took part in the effort to construct
playground equipment, repaint a gazebo and plant grass at the
small community park at the north end of Fontana.
By early afternoon, the work was completed and the volunteers
celebrated with a board-cutting ceremony.
City officials plan to open the park for use by Sunday, after
the concrete has had time to set and the equipment has been
inspected for safety.
Volunteers installed two playground areas featuring designs
suggested by students at North Tamarind Elementary School next
door. One area featured bright orange slides, tunnels and
climbing equipment decorated with NASCAR logos and a flag. The
other consisted of a rock-climbing wall with a rope ladder.
The effort was a collaboration between KaBOOM!, a nonprofit
funded by The Home Depot that constructs playgrounds across the
nation, the United Way's Hands On Inland Empire community
service program, Joe Gibbs Racing and the city of Fontana.
Volunteers began working at 8:30 a.m., but the heat already
was on.
"It wasn't quite what I expected when I woke up this
morning," said Hal Stewart, a paralegal from The Home Depot's
corporate office in Orange. "It's a little hot."
Volunteers, from left, Marcus Gilkeson, Adrian Contreras and
his father, Lorenzo Contreras, were among 300 volunteers
Thursday renovating North Tamarind Park in Fontana. The donated
labor was worth an estimated $100,000.
Stewart, a Fontana resident, said he had been involved in
several KaBOOM! Projects and signed on for this one when he
learned that the latest project was in his hometown.
Despite the heat, volunteers kept up a festive atmosphere
through the day. A dance instructor led them through stretching
exercises at the start of the morning. A DJ played up-tempo pop
music through the morning and afternoon, leading some volunteers
to break out in dance at times. A mist tent was available for
people to cool down, and businesses provided food and
refreshments.
"It's a fun-filled event of true community awareness," said
Bryant Fairely, a community resources manager with Hands On
Inland Empire.
Volunteers were separated into small groups responsible for
different components of the playground equipment and park
renovation.
If the city had hired a contractor to do the job, it would
have taken two to three weeks to complete, said Curtis Aaron,
the city's public works director. He estimated that the labor
donated Thursday was worth about $100,000.
"This is an older neighborhood park we have here and it
needed some love," Aaron said.
Third-grade students at North Tamarind Elementary School
brought attention to the park when they wrote Fontana Mayor Mark
Nuaimi asking for new restrooms and playground equipment.
KaBOOM! focuses on at-risk children living in NASCAR race
communities, and became involved after the program heard about
the students' requests. Hands On Inland Empire had
coincidentally contacted the city looking for a park to help
renovate.
The city spent $150,000 to renovate the restrooms and KaBOOM!
donated $75,000 for equipment and sod.
The city plans more improvements, including a walking trail
and security lighting, Aaron said.
Another volunteer effort is planned for Oct. 6 to paint
murals at the elementary school.
Reach Imran Ghori at 909-806-3061 or
ighori@PE.com
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