Kalakupua Playground
By River Sussman
Bob Leathers, Master Architect, gathers the ideas that he uses to create the design for the "community-built" playgrounds that he has been facilitating for the past thirty-plus years. His firm, Leathers & Associates, has helped over 1,800 communities build unique child-designed playgrounds, there are now four in progress on Maui.
Providing a prototype for more playgrounds to follow, this May 11th-16.th, the Kalakupua Playground, at the Fourth Division Marine Park in Ha'iku, will be the first of these playgrounds built on Maui. The Hana Pa'ani Mai Playground and the Central Maui Playground at Keopualani Park will both be built this October, and a Kihei community-built playground is just now in the initial stages of building a committee.
"Over this six-day period, we will set up tents for child-care, and serve three meals a day to the volunteers. We need hundreds of volunteers a day to make this build successful. It's like an old fashioned barn-raising." say committee members. "There are plenty of jobs for people even those not skilled in construction, serving food, greeting volunteers and passing out tools."
Another crucial ingredient in the success of this project is the raising of the funds necessary to pay for the materials. Because labor is all volunteer, community-built playgrounds cost a fraction of the amount of comparably sized playgrounds. Still, for a completely volunteer organization, raising $200,000 is a significant undertaking. Grants received from the Upcountry Rotary Club, County of Maui, Mo Bettah' Together Foundation, and Home Depot total $65,000. Selling sponsorship of playground components will bring in another $40,000. "Still, that only gets us half the way there," says the committee. "We desperately need community businesses, and individuals, to come forward with financial support for this project."
"We guarantee this will be one of the most joyous occasions on Maui and a great way to meet the people of your community while building a great place for our children to play"
Information regarding the Maui Community Playground Projects can be found on their website www.mauiplayground.org or by calling 573-8516.
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