Ridgefield Imagination Station Hopes to be Built by Summertime

Editor’s Note: We originally ran this story on April 1 but ICYMI the Imagination Station Committee is hard at work with their fundraising efforts. 

Fundraising efforts are in place to have the Imagination Station Playground, also known as the Ballard Park playground built by the summer.

The Imagination Station Committee, co-chaired by Holly Endee and Catherine Scatterday, is approximately at the halfway mark for meeting its fundraising goal of $200,000.

Donated by the Landegger Family 22 years ago, the playground has reached the end of its useful life. After extensive research and meeting with several major playground manufacturers, the committee decided to work with a company called KOMPAN, a leading playground designer and manufacturer based in Washington, a project which is expected to cost approximately $517,000.

“One of our main goals was to create something unique that would encourage kids to get off of their iPads, computers and video games,” Endee said in an email. “We believe that we’ve met that goal with the design that we created with KOMPAN.”

Located in Downtown Ridgefield, the new Imagination Station focuses on inclusive play with all structures exceeding the American with Disabilities Act requirements.

The playground is meant to be beneficial to children who are mobility impaired or suffer from disorders such as anxiety or depression while inherently meeting the needs and desires of typically functioning children.

A challenge grant donated by George Landegger and a bond approved by the town in May 2014 left the committee to raise $200,000 in private donations. The committee currently has $90,000 left to raise in donations. The new playground will be dedicated to Landegger’s late parents.

A fundraising page has been set up by the committee to help them meet their goal before they can start building.

“We really believe that people are going to flock to this play space,” Endee wrote in an email. “This will inherently draw more foot traffic to our Main Street shops and eateries.”

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