Not Just For Little Kids

DAYTON - Often what's good for business is good for the whole town. One of Dayton's newest downtown business projects should turn out to be just that, its organizers say.

Good for downtown, great for tourism and much appreciated by residents. A quick peek at the plan reveals one obvious segment of the local population likely to enjoy it. The brand new, 80 by 50 foot playground adjacent to the depot should be a hit with the kids. "There is no playground on the north side of town right now, so kids on that side would have to cross Main Street," said project leader Cara Breland "That's just not an option for many." But playgrounds aren't just for kids, said Lisa Ronnberg, director of the Dayton Chamber of Commerce. "I personally donated to it. I think it will add an extra dimension to downtown. We want to draw in young families, and what comes with that is kids."

Giving families more reasons to visit Dayton is one goal of the Dayton Development Task Force, the community minded body behind the playground project.

"We want to encourage more pedestrians and more families to visit our downtown," said task force board member Ken Graham. It was during one such discussion among task force members in late spring that Cara Breland stepped in. "Everybody in town was talking about what we could do to make downtown more popular," Breland said. "So I suggested we needed something for the kids. So, you know what that means? I'm building a playground." Breland, a preschool teacher in Waitsburg, recruited her sister, Jessica Atwood, to help her organize and raise support for the project. "Well, I'm the sister, so I have to help," Atwood joked. In reality, both woman are excited about the project and have worked tirelessly to get it rolling. As young mothers they see the need locally for such a project, Breland has two children ages 12 and 14 while Atwood, who works at the Columbia County Auditor's office, has two youngsters ages 2 and 3.

And as community supporters, they see the value of a playground to the downtown businesses. Though Dayton already has a playground at the city park and one at the elementary school, both are located several blocks from downtown.

"Visitors would not necessarily go down that far," Breland said. "This playground will be located close by the shopping district. Parents will be able to let their kids play while they explore downtown, or take the kids over for a pause during the day, or give grandparents a place to occupy the kids." And Ronnberg believes the playground could become, "the heart of a lot of community events."

Breland, Atwood, Graham and Marcene Hendrickson form the four-person subcommittee in charge of getting the playground project

off the ground. Breland and Atwood quickly began soliciting support from local agencies and organizations.

"We've had a very positive response," Graham said The playground, which the group hopes to complete in October of next year, will be constructed on a corner of the city's parking lot just on the other side of the chain link fence from the depot. Graham said city leaders passed a resolution allowing the group to proceed with its plans. Breland and Atwood have started a fundraiser to kick the project into gear. Supporters can purchase fence pickets engraved with their names for $35 each. They can also purchase a 6-foot top rail.

This idea for raising the $50,000 to $70,000 needed to build came from Playground of Dreams in Kennewick, where Atwood said community supporters sold 4,500 pickets and made $125,000. Dayton's new, multi-level playground will include swings, a climbing web, slides and more aimed at children between the ages of 2 and14 years.

The group is waiting for word on several grants.

To find out more or purchase a picket, visit www.daytonplayground.org.