Lincoln School Gets Spiffed-Up Playground

Wielding donated shovels and power tools, more than 20 volunteers installed new playground equipment Saturday for the students of Lincoln Elementary School in Ventura.

It was a major step toward completing a project that began six years ago, when the school’s PTA began collecting money for play-area renovations.

Last spring, when school officials realized they had enough money to start, they ordered more than $6,000 in brightly colored playground gear. And when the children return from winter break Jan. 5, they will finally have a bigger place to play.

“It’s cool because there wasn’t always enough room in the playground for everyone,” said Heidi Hanson, 10, as she watched the workers dig holes and pour concrete. “Now there will be enough room for everyone to play.”

Most of the volunteer workers were dads whose children attend the school, Principal Elke Fedde said.

“I’m just amazed that all these parents came out here and know what to do,” she said.

Ventura Police Officer Alex Marquez, who spent the day knee-deep in dirt with the other volunteers, said the school was lucky to have a skilled mix of parents to help.

“We have people here of all trades,” he said. “That’s what makes things go so smooth.”

Marquez oversees the school’s DARE program, a Police Department project to keep kids away from drugs. Giving the children a new, safe place to play will help them stay out of trouble, he said.

When it is completed, the play area will be open to neighborhood children as well as students.

“There are kids who are here all the time,” Fedde said. “It’s a community thing as well.”

The Ventura school bond that passed earlier this year will allow for more improvements in the future. Fedde said her next playground priority is to plant new grass around the play area, which is now mostly dirt with some wilted green patches.

Although the school is grateful for the new equipment, she said, there is still a lot of work to be done.

“It’s not huge, but it’s a start,” Fedde said. “You’ve got to start with something.”