Community Corner

Oxford Approves $138K For Playscape

The playscape will be built on Quaker Farms Road.

Oxford residents approved the expenditure of $138,000 for a new playscape for children in the community Tuesday night at Town Hall.

A clear majority voted by a raise of hands to approve the funding, which selectmen say will come from a settlement with an environmental company over an oil spill at the Quaker Farms School. The playscape will be constructed on Quaker Farms Road near Quaker Farms and Great Oak schools. 

The only arguments about the project Tuesday centered about government procedures. Those came from residents David Heim and Ann Krane, chair of the Democratic Town Committee, who argued that the town meeting was not legal because the townspeople were being asked to purchase something with money that the town currently does not have in hand but anticipates receiving.

Heim made a motion to disband the meeting, which received 13 votes; 26 people voted to hold the meeting as scheduled, so Heim's motion failed, as it needed a two-thirds majority to pass. 

Ultimately, votes were not counted when the question was moved about whether to spend money on the playscape because it was clear many more people favored it than opposed it.

Kyra Nesteriak, chair of the playscape committee, was thrilled with the result.

"We don't have a playscape like this in Oxford," she said. "The closest one is in Seymour, and this is going to be better than Seymour."

She said the new playscape will be made from recycled materials; it's will have a life warranty of 100 years; children are not going to get splinters; it won't attract bees' nests; it's going to be for children who are just beginning to walk to those who are 12 years old - there are going to be separate sections for children of different age groups and many activities for all of them.
 
"I hear the argument that there are many playscapes already," she said. "But the ones at the schools are not allowed to be used during school hours or when the Seymour/Oxford before and after school program is in session. So that takes out the playscapes during the day.

"Everyone is making the argument that the Oxford Center School playscape needs to be redone anyway, but clearly you're saying that one is not up to par, so why would we tout it?," she said. "This playscape is centrally located and if you are waiting for kids to be picked up at school, you can stop at the playscape for a little bit - it's right down the street."

See photos, attached, of what the new playscape will look like.


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