Volunteers, city raise $$$ for first accessible playground

Updated on Thursday, August 15, 2019 at 5:45 a.m. to include statements from Danbury Democratic mayoral candidate Chris Setaro.

By Scott Benjamin

DANBURY – After a committee raised $130,000 to build the first accessible playground in Danbury, the mayor is trying to secure the additional $140,000 needed to complete the project which will, among other things, help students with special needs and English language learners establish new friendships.

The volunteers at Pembroke Elementary School. headed by special needs teacher Leigh Viviano, have utilized a PayPal link, distributed newsletters, held fund-raisers and interacted through the social media to generate the donations.

Mayor Mark Boughton announced the fundraising efforts at the August 6 City Council meeting and stated in a news release that he will collaborate with the municipal finance department to appropriate $140,000 from a previously approved recreation bond to complete the project.

The amount could change if further donations are made.

“When I was approached about this project, I knew immediately that this was something we needed to make a reality,” the mayor stated. “It took some thought and creativity, but we are proud to provide the rest of the funding needed.”

In a news release, Democratic mayoral candidate Chris Setaro stated, "I am deeply concerned that Mark Boughton - 90 days before an election - has decided it's time to fund a playground at a public school after 18 months of parent-organized bake sales and events to raise funds."

Boughton and Setaro will face off in the November 5 municipal election.

The volunteers’ Web site – www.thepembrokeplayground.com – stated that the current “play-scape is high off the ground and not safe for students with physical limitations or students prone to seizures.” It also indicated that the current playground suffers from poor drainage.

The Web site related that 30 percent of Pembroke’s enrollment have a “disability,” such as autism, intellectual disability, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, attention deficit disorder, learning disability or being medically fragile.

Also, 56 percent of the enrollment at Pembroke is on free or reduced lunch, meaning that many of the families are living at or below the poverty line and can’t afford to take their children to nearest accessible playgrounds outside the Hat City – which are in Newtown, Ridgefield and Waterbury.

Viviano stated in the news release that the fundraising initiative will not only address repair needs, but also increase the number of ADA-compliant playground equipment so that students with special needs could have a safe place to play.

The Web site reported that the revitalized playground would include shorter ladder heights, ramps to the main play-scape and accessible routes and paths.

The news release stated that the facility would be available after school and on weekends.

The school has students from kindergarten through fifth grade.