Volunteers Build School Playground

Volunteers and residents mixing cement, assembling equipment and laying down safety surface for a playground Wednesday at School 5 in Paterson.

A crew of volunteers recently spent six rain-soaked hours building a school playground they hope will last a lifetime.

The 200 volunteers scrambled to mix cement, assemble slides and benches and spread landscaping material in a previously barren asphalt lot next to Paterson School 5 in Paterson, N.J. in an effort that brought together neighbors, school staffers and sponsors.

When they were done, Bob Guarasci, CEO and founder of the New Jersey Community Development Corp., declared the day a victory both for the school, which serves 1,300 youngsters, and the neighborhood.

“I think this playground signals a new start here at School No. 5 as well as in the broader community,” Guarasci said. “This is a symbol of this community’s rebirth and of this school’s rebirth.”

Guarasci said the 3,600-square-foot playground was the result of a collaboration between the community development group, the pharmaceutical company Roche, the Paterson school district and KaBoom!, a non-profit that helps build community playgrounds.