Mansfield Group Looking to Build Community With Construction of Playground

Mansfield mom Sara Anderson says the town's children need a well-designed, accessible playground and she wants to help make it happen.

Anderson has been working on the proposed project with the advisory council of Mansfield Advocates for Children for about two years now.

The playground would be built on town land behind the Mansfield Community Center.

"Our community needs a playground," Anderson said. Other playgrounds in town, such as those at schools, are unavailable to families once classes are in session, Anderson said. "We need a community gathering spot," she said.

The proposed playground has been designed to be inclusive of everyone in the community, including those with physical or neurological disabilities, Anderson said.

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Many of the playground's components would be wheelchair accessible.

The playground would also have a variety of unique features such as a dragon slide and jungle castle - items requested by Mansfield children from the project's designers, Leathers & Associates, after hours spent interviewing with them, Anderson said.

The project, to be funded solely through donations, is estimated to cost $300,000 to complete, Anderson said.

The group is currently working on developing fundraisers and securing sponsorships to cover the costs associated with the project.

The playground would be made of recycled materials, and assembled by volunteers so labor and maintenance would be minimal, Anderson said.

"This is really going to be a community building process," Anderson said. "We need the community's help to get this thing off the ground," she said.

Anderson said the group hopes to construct the playground by September 2013.