Playground Project Seeks Volunteers

More volunteers are needed to complete a community playground that is under construction in mid-Ventura, organizers said Friday.

“We are desperate,” said Lori Z, a spokeswoman for the Rainbow Bridge Community Playground project. “Some people committed to help out and then didn’t show.”

Organizers had estimated it would take 1,500 volunteers to build the 10,000-square-foot playground over a five-day period. Construction began Wednesday morning.

So far, only about 200 volunteers have turned out to help drill holes, shovel dirt and pour cement, Lori Z said. Anyone who wants to help should show up between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. today or Sunday at the construction site at 450 Valmore Ave., on the grassy grounds behind Blanche Reynolds School.

Volunteers don’t need any construction skills to help, she said.

“They’ll get a free lunch, a free dinner, free child care and plenty of camaraderie,” she said.

The fanciful playground was designed by a New York firm that specializes in children’s play areas. When completed, it will include a haunted house, lookout towers and a 21-foot whale.

If the work is finished on time, a dedication ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday, Lori Z said. For the latest update on the construction schedule, call 641-5409.