If anyone needed a confirmation of a job well done, the peals of laughter from Melissa Jones students as they raced down the slides, swung on the monkey bars, and spun on the tire swings of their new playground certainly fit the bill. On Aug. 30, volunteers, town officials, and students came together for the official ribbon cutting of the new Melissa Jones Elementary School playground ribbon cutting.

After several years of planning and community support, a team of volunteers along with local contractors recently completed a new playground at Melissa Jones in a little more than a week, just in time for the new school year that began Aug. 31.

The plan to replace the nearly 30-year old playground at the school had been in the works for years. Teams of volunteers had set out fundraising goals, fundraising campaigns, and had solicited input from students and contractors alike to help design the new structure. In fall 2015, organizers had hoped to assemble the new structure in 2016, but fundraising had set the timeline back. By late August 2017, contractors and volunteers were onsite to build the new structure. Playground Committee Chair Sara Prior said the team adjusted the budget a little bit and ramped up the fundraising effort to get the project off the ground.

The new structure has a true Guilford feel. The peaks on certain elements are all painted Guilford green; there is a structure resembling the Whitfield House and slides named after Baldwin Hill and Long Hill Road; and the climbing wall is named for Bluffs Head, among many examples.

At the ribbon cutting, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Paul Freeman congratulated volunteers on all of their hard work and spoke about the significance of play in child development.

“The line between play and learning is a very indistinct line,” he said. “A playground is an integral part of a school and playing is an integral part of learning and I am thrilled that we have this here today and I hope that all of you guys know that playing is a really important part of learning and I hope that you enjoy the playground.”

First Selectman Joe Mazza also thanked the volunteers and said this playground is a great example of what volunteers can accomplish in town.

“I want to congratulate all of the parents for all of their hard work and fundraising that went on to produce this beautiful structure,” he said. “…It just speaks to the amount of volunteerism that we have in the town of Guilford…It just blows my mind how people can get together and do what they can do for the town of Guilford.”

Prior said that with so many people involved, from volunteers, to contractors, to school officials, this project was a great way to show students that adults care a lot about them and their educational experience.

“The result of all of this is a place for the community to come together and for a few more people to know a few more people,” she said. “Children got to see that people care about them and care about this place and that they created a place for them.”