The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON - Dayton city officials have given volunteers the green light for a new playground on the north side of Main Street.

The playground, a project sponsored by the Dayton Development Task Force, is the brainchild of sisters Cara Breland and Jessica Atwood.

The 80 by 50 foot, fenced structure will sit on city property adjacent to the Historic Dayton Depot. The multilevel play area, including swings, a climbing web, slides and more, is intended to draw visitors and residents.

"There is no playground on the north side of town right now, so kids on that side would have to cross Main Street," Breland said several months ago when the project was unveiled. "That's just not an option for many."

Last week, Breland and Atwood presented their proposal to the Dayton City Council for approval. They received full support for the proposed location and use of land.

"They were amazing," Breland said of city officials. "They were very supportive and agreed that the use of the land makes sense."

The playground will take up five parking spots in the city-owned parking lot behind State Farm and Crofts.

"But they (councilors) said the parking lot where we're putting it has not been used as well as it could have, except during All-Wheels," Breland said. "They gave us their blessings."

The only concern was bathrooms, said city councilor Christine Broughton, who also chairs the city's board of park commissioners. "But bathrooms are part of phase two, so they haven't really addressed that yet." Task force member and city councilor Merle Jackson is looking into options.

Once completed, the Task Force will gift the playground to the city, and the Dayton Kiwanis Club has offered to maintain it.

In the service club's honor, the new play area will be called the Kiwanis Playground, Breland said.

The playground will cost about $ 40,000, and the group has now raised $33,000 through grants and donations. Supporters plan to have construction complete by October of this year. Once organizers have decided on specific playground equipment, they will take a new proposal to the city council.

"We want them to approve the equipment and make sure they think it's safe," Breland said.

Playground organizers are still accepting donations. Supporters can purchase fence pickets engraved with their names for $35 each, "but people need to get them quick, before they're all sold," Breland said.

To find out more or purchase a picket, visit www.daytonplayground.org or call Breland at 382-2565.