CONCORD, N.H., September 14, 2017 (Newswire.com) - Three friends from Concord, New Hampshire, have started a brand new fundraiser. Their aim is to be able to raise enough money to make some significant improvements to a local park. If they are successful, they will add a ball games court, a trim-trail, a new pathway, and outdoor gym equipment. In so doing, they want to make the park more accessible to the entire community, offering entertainment regardless of age.
This is the second time they have come together. Last year, they raised enough money for the park to create a playground for young children. This was hugely successful, but they had set themselves the goal from the beginning to make the Concord park something for everyone to enjoy. While their playground is greatly appreciated and widely used, they felt it was too limited at present.
We spent so much of our time in the park growing up, and we want other people to enjoy it as much as we did. We are making huge efforts to make this vision a reality, and we're so happy to see how engaged the community is. We would love to see an outdoor fitness center, a nice pathway for strollers, a trim-trail for older kids, and more.
Jan Berkowitz
Exactly which pieces of equipment they will install and the cost of the whole endeavor will depend on a local resident poll. The three friends, named Jan Berkowitz, Wade Nodine, and Harold Blend, were all born and raised in Concord, and are giving everyone who will make a donation the opportunity to express their opinion on how they would like to see the money spent.
Wade says: "What we want to do is make sure that the whole community is able to enjoy this fantastic space, and not just the under 12s, which is what the playground currently offers. We don't know exactly how much money we will need because it will all depend on what people would want to be added to the park. If we raised enough funds, we will just do it all. The park has space, so why not?"
Jan Berkowitz, meanwhile, says: "We spent so much of our time in the park growing up, and we want other people to enjoy it as much as we did. We are making huge efforts to make this vision a reality, and we're so happy to see how engaged the community is. We would love to see an outdoor fitness center, a nice pathway for strollers, a trim-trail for older kids, and more."
Local residents are very impressed with the work being done. While the new fundraiser is still in its early stages, there has already been a lot of local support, even though the entire community pulled together just one year ago to raise the money for the playground. One resident says: "The park is such a beautiful space, but it has been left to rot over recent years, and we all feel it is such a shame. It is so inspiring to see three young men pull together and rile up the community to take back ownership of the park. I'm sure they will do great."
A number of Concord residents, associations and businesses have agreed to chip in. Some have agreed on providing financial contributions, while others sourced the necessary equipment at significantly discounted prices. All businesses that are taking part in the fundraiser are local shops. Harold says: "We will probably make a plaque with the names of these businesses on it to thank them for their contributions. But, of course, much of our gratitude will go to the Concord community as a whole."
So far, residents seem particularly interested in having an outdoor gym in place. This is because it can be used by people of all ages and it can contribute to better health. Meanwhile, the suggested pathway is also getting a lot of support, with people wanting to be able to stroll the perimeter of the path without getting in the way of playing children. Dog walkers are also very keen on having the pathway installed.
The park is owned by the local government and, although they will not be able to make a financial contribution to the fundraiser, they have agreed to allow the construction work to take place. They will also not charge any fees for the necessary permits and codes, nor for the risk assessment, and they have also agreed to ensure that someone will be employed to look after the park once it has been completed.
Concord is keen to support their open and green spaces. It is also home to a very engaged community, who regularly provide feedback on what is happening in the town. Wade, Jan, and Harold will be present at the next village fair, where they will hold a presentation on their plans, receive community feedback, and hopefully raise the rest of the money for the project.
Source: Web Presence LLC
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