Park service adds playground at fort
Children who visit Fort Necessity National Battlefield in Farmington soon will find a new treat in the form of an interpretive playground, the first of its type at a national park. “It’s an interpretive playground in that the climbing structures represent the themes of the park – the fort story and the National Road story,’ said Mary Ellen Snyder, chief of interpretation, while a construction crew worked on the fixtures that include a replica of Fort Necessity and a Conestoga-type wagon.
“I think it will be a great addition to what the park offers and really expand what the park can offer children,’ said acting superintendent Jeff Reinbold.
Officials believe the playground, which is being built at the Fort Necessity/National Road Interpretive and Education Center, will be ready for use by Labor Day weekend. Visitors who come to the interpretive center now can see an illustration of the finished playground, which is placed on an easel just before glass doors that open outside to the playground site at the back of the center where work is progressing.
Besides relaxation and exercise, the playground allows children to make use of their imagination and be educated – all at the same time.
“We’re trying to provide a way for families to understand the themes in a hands-on way,’ said Snyder.
She noted that because exhibits in the interpretive center are designed for those ages 8 and older, the playground will give younger children an opportunity to become familiar with the fort and National Road. In addition to the climbing structures, there will be four educational waysides that include games for the children. Those exhibits were funded by the Grable Foundation, Snyder said.
Snyder explained, in front of the Conestoga wagon, there would be a wayside with nine cylinders that children are required to line up (similar to a tic-tac-toe game at some parks) that reveals a family traveling on the National Road. The back of this wayside shows items the family would have packed in their wagon.
Another wayside offers a portrait of the Sampey family who operated Mount Washington Tavern during its heyday with the faces cut out so children can substitute their own faces. The back has visitors decide what tools family members would use as they worked. There is a depiction of the soldiers and warriors during the time of the battle so the French are on one side and the British are on the opposite side with children being able to put their faces into the scenes as well. Another has a map of the park to encourage children to enjoy hiking, with enlargements of animals found in the park. This also is an orientation map to have visitors find the fort and the tavern when the interpretive center is not open.
Donna Holdorf, executive director of the National Road Heritage Corridor, said, “From the National Road perspective, this interpretive playground is another opportunity as an educational tool. It’s not just for children but as parents go through the activities with their kids, they learn something, too.’
Officials noted the playground could be educational for visitors who come to the park when the interpretive center, which is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., is closed. The park is open from dawn to dusk and Snyder said, “We do see a lot of visitors from 5 to 8 p.m.’
Besides families, the playground is expected to be popular with school groups – especially students in second and third grade.
Snyder also noted, “About one-third of our school groups are home-schooled and a lot of times they bring younger children with them.
Columbia Cascade of Oregon constructed the materials for the playground, while Veteran Partners of Monroeville is the general contractor and Maracon Construction of Uniontown is the subcontractor. The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh designed the playground and Hadley Exhibits of Buffalo designed and constructed the waysides.
Andreas Knispel, president and co-founder of Veteran Partners, explained that a 2004 executive order by President Bush said that 3 percent of the federal budget should be awarded to service disabled veterans who own small businesses. Knispel, who served in the Army, and Orlando Brown, chief executive officer who served in the Navy, are both service-disabled veterans.
Knispel said of the project, “It’s excellent. Maracon is doing great work and we’re fortunate to be involved and give back to the community as well as do work for Fort Necessity.’
He said Veteran Partners also is putting in new trails, resurfacing trails and doing excavation of the old parking lot, grading and seeding at the site of the former visitor’s center at Fort Necessity.
A date for a dedication of the playground will be announced later. Meanwhile, for more information on Fort Necessity, visit the Web site at www.nps.gov/fone
.