Portions of the Generation II Dream Playground at Erickson Playfield in Port Angeles remain unfinished on Wednesday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Portions of the Generation II Dream Playground at Erickson Playfield in Port Angeles remain unfinished on Wednesday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Volunteers needed for Dream Playground

Second round slated this weekend

PORT ANGELES — Organizers of the Generation II Dream Playground at Erickson Playfield have again put out a plea for volunteers to help complete construction of the project this weekend.

The playground, being built as a community effort, fell short on the original six-day build timeline in June because of a shortage of volunteers and a historic heat wave that kept many people home.

A shortened version of the original community build is scheduled for Friday and Saturday. Additional volunteers are being sought for several hours this evening to help set up equipment and supplies for the weekend sessions.

Steve Methner, president of the non-profit Dream Playground Foundation, said he is was optimistic the playground could be mostly finished this weekend.

“If we have a good showing of people with moderate skills, then we shouldn’t have any difficulty getting done,” he said. “I don’t have any reason to think we won’t finish on Saturday as long as we have a good volunteer showing.”

“I’m hopeful that, with the catch-up we’ve done this past week, we’ll have time to put up some of the aesthetic and artistic touches as well,” he said.

Methner said a major focus with the upcoming build will be installation of slides and their concrete anchors.

Consultants from Ithaca, N.Y.-based Play By Design LLC — the firm that developed playground plans and blueprints — will be brought back to Port Angeles to oversee the construction process.

The Generation II Dream Playground is replacing the original playground built by volunteers in 2002. That mostly wooden playground was razed earlier this year because of maintenance and safety issues.

The new playground will have clear sight lines for parents to keep their eyes on their children. It also will feature an improved play surface, replacing the former wood chips that could conceal hypodermic needles and other dropped objects with artificial turf developed specifically for playgrounds.

Turf installation is scheduled for the week of Aug. 2. All major projects at the playground must be completed before then.

A shortage of construction materials will preclude weekend completion of fencing around the playground, Methner said, but there are contingency plans for a small work party to finish that task in August.

Plans were developed in 2020 to replace the original Dream Playground with a newer version, but construction of the new play area was delayed from 2020 because of COVID-19.

Like its predecessor, Generation II was designed from suggestions for features desired by Port Angeles school children.

Signups for work crew slots can be made at www.signupgenius.com/go/904084da4ac23a5f85-dream3.

Methner said that, unlike the final days of the original community build in June, there are no heat waves in the forecast to keep volunteers away.

“The weather is supposed to be gorgeous,” he said. “I think Mother Nature feels bad about the first round and she’s helping out with the second one.”

________

Photojournalist Keith Thorpe can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 59050, or at photos@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Man barricaded with rifle arrested

Suspect had fired shots in direction of deputies, sheriff says

An interior view of the 12-passenger, all-electric hydrofoil ferry before it made a demonstration run on Port Townsend Bay on Saturday. Standing in the aisle is David Tyler, the co-founder and managing director of Artemis Technologies, the designer and builder of the carbon fiber boat. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Demonstration provides glimpse of potential for ferry service

Battery-powered hydrofoil could open water travel

Electronic edition of newspaper set for Thursday holiday

Peninsula Daily News will have an electronic edition only… Continue reading

Juliet Shidler, 6, tries on a flower-adorned headband she made with her mother, Rachel Shidler of Port Angeles, during Saturday’s Summertide celebration in Webster’s Woods sculpture park at the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center. The event, which marks the beginning of the summer season, featured food, music, crafts and other activities for youths and adults. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Summertide festival

Juliet Shidler, 6, tries on a flower-adorned headband she made with her… Continue reading

Law enforcement agencies to participate in Torch Run

Clallam County law enforcement agencies will participate in the… Continue reading

Crews contain wildland fire near Fisher Cove Road

Crews from Clallam County Fire District 2 quickly contained… Continue reading

Crescent School senior Audrey Gales, right, looks at the homemade regalia worn by fellow senior Hayden Horn on Saturday. Gales had a handmade Native American cap ready for her graduation. Seventeen Crescent students graduated during traditional ceremonies in the school gym. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Crescent graduation

Crescent School senior Audrey Gales, right, looks at the homemade regalia worn… Continue reading

Pertussis cases see 25-fold increase statewide in 2024

The state Department of Health reported an increase in pertussis… Continue reading

Frank Lowenstein was hired as the Dungeness River Nature Center’s executive director in September 2024. (Frank Lowenstein)
River center director dismissed

Board is looking for candidate to fill role

Weekly flight operations scheduled

There will be field carrier landing practice operations for aircraft… Continue reading

A demonstrator carrying an American flag walks the sidewalk in front of the Clallam County Courthouse on Saturday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Demonstrators march at courthouse

A demonstrator carrying an American flag walks the sidewalk in front of… Continue reading

Port Angeles High School twin graduates Kaylie Mast, left, and Kendall Mast, communicate with their friends by text while waiting for the start of the 2025 graduation parade on Friday. The parade began at Ediz Hook and culminated with a formal ceremony Friday evening at Port Angeles Civic Field. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Graduation parade

Port Angeles High School twin graduates Kaylie Mast, left, and Kendall Mast,… Continue reading