Christina Montanari has a personal investment in Ridge Road Elementary School’s push for a new accessible and inclusive playground. Her son, Cooper, is a 3rd-grader at the school. He also has Costello syndrome, a disorder that gives him global delays and anxiety.

“It’s been very close to my heart to make this possible,” she says of the project. “It’s an equalizing experience to be able to move around outside and be together with your peers. To have a playscape that is more easily accessible and less daunting is extremely important for [Cooper] and also for all of his friends.”

The new playground is replacing an older playscape that was becoming a safety concern. It will be accessible to children of all ages, sizes, and physical and intellectual abilities. Though it’ll be located at Ridge Road, it will be open to all children in the North Haven community. The project to build it, called the Play Together Initiative, got underway about two years ago.

“We learned there were a few children who were having difficulty accessing the playground that was at the school,” says Christina, who lives in North Haven with Cooper, 9, her daughter Cecelia, 3, and her husband Craig. “We knew if even one child could not access the playground that was too many.”

Today, Christina is the vice president of the Ridge Road PTA. Luckily for the PTA, she’s an expert at raising funds: Her former position was director of development at Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven. A lifelong lover of musicals (and past participant), she led Long Wharf’s fundraising efforts for almost nine years until leaving to raise her children. She’s also helped raise funds for the New Haven Chorale and the Dravet Syndrome Foundation, a nonprofit that supports individuals with epilepsy.

She enjoys it because “fundraising is ultimately about building relationships,” she says. “The projects I have worked on over the last 20 years have enabled me to interact with some of the most amazing people who are so passionate about the causes they support.”

Funds for the playground are coming from a few areas, including the concert featuring Brady Rymer this past weekend on the North Haven Green. Christina came across his CD Love Me for Who I Am: Celebrating Kids of All Abilities at the public library. She related to the songs he’d written while working with students with autism, and decided he’d be a perfect fit for the family concert.

Another ongoing project is a commemorative brick campaign—the bricks will be incorporated into the design of the playground. Finally, you might catch Christina or others on the committee at the summer concerts on the North Haven Green. They’ll be selling Happy Meal coupons; a portion of each sale will benefit the playground.

“My hope for every event that I am a part of is that all people who support the event leave feeling that they have made a difference,” Christina says. “And in a project as big as our new accessible playground, every gift makes a difference—even small gifts add up and make an impact.”

From the other dedicated parents and teachers who are involved to First Selectman Mike Freda and town support, Christina emphasizes that it’s not a one-woman show—the Play Together Initiative has a wide range of support. With luck and enough funds, the groundbreaking will take place in the fall—meaning it should be up and running for the next school year.

For Christina, the best part will be seeing her son playing with his friends once the project is complete.

“Recess is a huge, important thing,” she says. “It’s a social part of school that should never be overlooked.”

For more information or to purchase a commemorative brick, visit www.ridgeroadpta.org.

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