Leathers & Associates will schedule a “Design Day,” a 12-to-14-hour visit by an architect, who will meet at both parks with interested residents
By Aleen Crispino, Special Writer
Hopewell Borough Council heard a presentation by the MOMS Club of Titusville-Hopewell about plans to design two new community built playgrounds, one at Hopewell Park at South Greenwood and Columbia avenues, and one at Hopewell Mini-Park at Railroad Place.
The MOMS Club will lead the planning and fundraising efforts and turn the money over to the borough to purchase the equipment, said Borough Administrator/Clerk Michele Hovan.
After researching several companies, the group has chosen Leathers & Associates, an architectural firm from Ithaca, N.Y., to help borough residents plan and build the playgrounds, said Michelle Brennan, a member of the playground committee, who gave the presentation.
The company will schedule a “Design Day,” a 12-to-14-hour visit by an architect, who will meet at both parks with parents, children and teachers to brainstorm ideas for the playgrounds, culminating at the end of the day with a celebration and the unveiling of designs for the two playgrounds that incorporate the input from both children and adults, she said.
The committee has a fundraising goal of between $50,000 and $70,000 for the two playgrounds, said Annette Murphy, vice president of administration and community outreach for the MOMS Club of Titusville-Hopewell.
The club received between $850 and $900 from a booth at the Harvest Fair, said Ms. Murphy, and a club representative will attend the Hopewell Block Party on Friday night to accept donations, she added.
”The point about getting the user group, meaning the kids, to design the new playground is a great idea,” said Councilman Mark Samse. “You’ve got the support of council,” he said, adding that the designs need not be limited to the existing playground areas, but could expand or move to other areas of the park.
”We hope to incorporate kids every step of the way,” said Ms. Murphy. The club has sponsored a drawing contest for Hopewell Elementary School students, asking them to depict “what they envision outdoor fun to be,” she said. The winning design will be placed on T-shirts and tote bags to be sold to raise money for the new playgrounds, she added.
Donations for the new playgrounds may be sent to the MOMS Club of Titusville-Hopewell, P.O. Box 43, Titusville, 08560. Checks should be made out to “MOMS Club of Titusville-Hopewell,” indicating in the memo that the contribution is for the “Hopewell Playground.”
The MOMS Club of Titusville-Hopewell is a chapter of the International MOMS Club, a nonprofit organization founded in 1983 as a support group for stay-at-home mothers with over 2,000 chapters in the United States.