New Playground In Milford Rises After Locals Donate Cash, Labor

MILFORD, MA — An outdated playground in Milford will soon be history thanks to a quick fundraiser organized by the Milford Parks and Recreation Department.

Parks Administrator James Asam and local resident Mitch Ruscitti were able to raise about $6,500 from local businesses and residents last month to buy new playground equipment for the play area at Tank Field. On Saturday, a group of volunteers will gather at the park to help install the new equipment.

The combination of a quick fundraiser along with free labor means Milford will barely spend any taxpayer dollars on the project valued at between $30,000 and $40,000. Donors to the project include Celebrate Milford, Dewey Pest & Wildlife, CloudSolved IT, and residents Steve and Geri Eddins and Mitch, Jess, and Anna Ruscitti.

"The existing play equipment is being replaced with a new, state-of-the-art swing set, which includes toddler and ADA-compatible swings. ADA-compliant rubber padding (similar to the material at the Fruit Street playground) is being installed under the new equipment," the parks department said in a news release this week.

Tank Field is located near the corner of West Foundation and Congress streets. The town will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new play area later this summer.