May 2, 2008 6:45 pm US/Eastern
S. Florida Elementary School Needs A Playground
HOLLYWOOD (CBS4) ―
For the last 9 months at Susie Daniels Charter Elementary School, instead of sliding down a slide or swinging on a swing, children make do with a basketball or a jump rope. They even have fun digging in the dirt.
Officials at the school, located at 2201 SW 42nd Avenue in West Park, recently hired a contractor to build a brand new, state of the art playground for the school. The contractor promised the principal, Richard Garrick, it would be built, and within budget.
Tanae Hardemon, 6 years old, told
CBS4's Liv Davalos, "We don't have a playground, but we play with a basketball. We have fun digging sandcastles."
Kristi Philippe, a parent, said, "They're happy playing in the dirt. They're kids so they are just happy playing, but no child should have to play in the dirt."
Philippe has three boys who attend the school and finds the conditions heartbreaking. She added, "They should have equipment. They should have a playground that's safe."
Last summer, the school budgeted $40,000 for new equipment and a new playground. School principal Garrick met with a company that he said offered to put pro-style turf instead of sand, and the extra cost would be covered by sponsors.
"I told the gentleman at the time we don't have for pro-style turf," said Garrick. "And he told me he had corporations that are lined up and that they'll do it as long as they can advertise. And I said that wouldn't be a problem."
A spokesperson for the company, called Playfast, said he only offered the special turf at his cost, and claimed the school did not want to come up with the rest of the money.
School officials are now looking into possibly taking legal action, but for now the children need a place to play.
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