All Agree, But Where Should It Be?

At the public forum concerning the proposed Whitehall playground, held Tuesday, July 12, over a dozen residents voiced their desire to have a public playground for the town. The main question of the evening? Where?

Town Clerk Allissa Christensen has taken the playground proposal to several funding entities herself and garnered funds from the Dennis & Phillis Washington Foundation, Town Pump, and several others; she is currently awaiting approval for funds from the Whitehall Sustainability Committee and the Whitehall Tax Increment Fund. No town money is being used to fund the playground.

Whitehall Community Library librarian Jeannie Ferriss voiced her desire to see the playground somewhere centrally located so that preschoolers and daycare attendees don’t have to cross multiple streets.

“We have over 100 preschoolers in this town. They need a place to play,” said Ferriss. “And kids need to get outside.”

For clarification, the Whitehall School playground is not open to the public during school hours, which is what spurred the proposal of a public playground.

Locations discussed included:

• Next to the Golden Sunlight Pavilion, relocating the horseshoe pits to the east side of the Fire Hall.

• Town property next to the Whitehall Pool.

• Open field in front of the Whitehall Cemetery.

• Several privately owned land options were also discussed.

Support for the playground was obvious, though safety concerns with out-of-sight properties, such as the cemetery, led to discussion. Also the short length of time the pool is used during the summer, and its location near the school was also considered.

If you were unable to attend the public forum but have an idea, please reach out to Allissa Christensen at the Town Hall, 287-3972.