Foxboro Playground Construction Good To Go After Kraft Donation

FOXBOROUGH, MA — The Partners in Patriotism Fund, the Kraft Group's community nonprofit arm, awarded a $10,000 grant to Friends of Foxboro Recreation to complete the fundraising needed to build a new playground at the Booth Field complex. The project replaces the playground that has been at the Booth for over 20 years. The old playground was removed in the spring after Foxboro Recreation learned that all of its playground pieces were outdated to the point they couldn't be brought to modern safety standards and were not handicapped-accessible.

Town meeting voters in may approved covering $85,000 of the playground's construction, which was estimated to cost $110,000. But with Kraft's grant, as well as donations from the Lions Club, Rotary Club, individuals and a local church, the playground is expected to be built this fall.

"The addition of a new and improved playground will add so much value to the town as this location has been a favorite recreation spot for families and children for many years," said Stephanie Twohig, vice president of Friends of Foxboro Recreation. "The generous grant from the PIP Fund will help us enhance the playground and add additional features not included in the existing plan such as a slide."

Currently, the Booth complex has three Little League fields, a Babe Ruth Field, two softball fields and basketball and tennis courts. Friends of Foxboro Recreation President Donna McIntyre said the new playground will bring back a popular place for siblings of ball players to play during games. It will also be used for summer programs next year, which serve over 300 children.

Foxboro Recreation has worked closely with the Foxboro Commission on Disability, along with the Massachusetts Office on Disability, to ensure the new playground will be a place where children of all abilities can play.

"The blue rubber foundation of the playground makes the play area accessible to those in wheelchairs, crutches or strollers to get around," said McIntyre. "The base of the new playground will no longer be made of sand, but of fiber wood chips, which are ADA compliant. The new playground will also consist of tire swings, jungle gyms and climbing areas. The equipment will be accessible to all with special attention being paid to the tire swing and round accessible swing."