(Le Mars) — It has been a long time coming, eight years in fact, but Gehlen Catholic is ready to install a new playground for its elementary students.
Lorie Nussbaum serves as the principal for Gehlen Catholic Elementary grades. She says the old playground equipment has been around for more than 50 years, and no longer meets the requirements with today’s Americans with Disabilities
Act or updated state and legal requirements.
Nussbaum says Gehlen will keep some of the existing playground equipment while adding other features.
The new playground was purchased from GameTime in Iowa. The new playground will feature seven slides, eight swings, seven climbers, one cross beam, two deck spans, one tilted sky runner, one space wheel, and new landscaping. Nussbaum
says through private donations, and bake sales Gehlen Catholic was able to raise the needed funds to secure the purchase of the playground equipment.
Volunteers will assemble the new playground equipment during Ice Cream Days, Friday, June 16th and Saturday, June 17th.
Gehlen is accepting bids for the old playground equipment. The Gehlen Catholic elementary principal says research studies show a need for children to have recreational activity to help enhance their educational experience.
Nussbaum says a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new playground will be held in conjunction with the start of the new school year in August.
