Mom’s playground dream is real

After two years with none, Wilcox Elementary School getting new equipment

LIHU’E — On a day usually reserved for allowing mothers to take the day off, one Lihu’e mom spent Sunday morning overseeing the final touches to a two-year project of hers.

Instead of sleeping in late or enjoying breakfast in bed, Gail Oride spent the first half of Mother’s Day supervising the long-awaited installation of Wilcox Elementary School’s playground and the more than 20 friends, family and school staff who showed up to help.

Since Hawaii’s 179 elementary schools were ordered to dismantle or close down their playgrounds in April 1999, Wilcox students — as well as those across Kaua’i and the state — have gone without the recess mainstay as schools scrambled to raise the money for equipment that meets safety regulations and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

With the state having recently announced the names of the first 50 schools scheduled to receive state money for replacements, Oride and many other parents across Hawai’i have taken the initiative to organize private fund-raisers and construction projects.

Soon after the Wilcox playground was shut down, Oride was asked by principal Ernest dela Cruz to take part in several meetings aimed at getting new equipment onto the school campus.

“At the same time, I had volunteered for a fund-raiser that would have given a little bit of proceeds back to the school,” she said. “But then I started to think about how we should have a fund-raiser of our own to get funds for the playground.”

Several months later, Wilcox students — including her two children, Kelli and Cory — held their Jump for Playground event, which raised about $25,000 for the project.

Oride said she then began soliciting local businesses for contributions, resulting in donations ranging from $50 to $2,000.

Combined with two substantial handouts from the Hawai’i Parent Teacher Student Association, Oride said the project had about $49,000 in available money, so she began formulating plans with Mike McFarlane from the O’ahu-based company Coast Recreation.

Using recommendations from her children and other members of the Wilcox school community, Oride said she used McFarlane’s experience in planning and building other playgrounds to ensure the school would be getting the most for its money.

The new playground is split into two parts, with the recreational portions toward the front of the school and the fitness equipment near the rear. The colorful portion along Hardy Street will feature a stationary cycle, slides, swings, a climbing net and working periscope, while the fitness equipment toward the nearby tennis courts includes parallel and pull-up bars.

“We just knew the kids needed it and wanted it, and it’ll be really good for them,” Oride said.

Two weeks ago, donations by Koga Engineers and Shioi Construction allowed a small group to lay the concrete foundation for the playground. After yesterday’s installation of the equipment, McFarlane said a three-inch thick rubber surface — made partially of recycled tires — will be applied later this week for safety.

“That should be the final step,” he said.

After the material fully solidifies overnight, Oride said the playground should be ready for use the next Monday.

“I’m really looking forward to that,” she said. “Seeing the kids play on it will be nice.”

While all 928 Wilcox students will be able to use the new equipment, Oride said an additional playground aimed at younger students is awaiting promised state funds and is scheduled to be completed by next January.

Dela Cruz said he’s expecting many Wilcox students to have a hard time staying away from the almost-finished playground, but that the end result will make everything worthwhile.

“I think I’m just as excited as the kids,” he said.

Without Oride’s planning and determination, the playground would be nowhere near completion, dela Cruz said.

“We owe it all to Gail,” he said.

Staff writer Matt Smylie can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 226) and mailto:msmylie@pulitzer.net