On Saturday, Aug. 8, more than 100 volunteers renovated and restored the Hyde Park Elementary School Yard and Community Playground in Waukegan.
Scott Byron & Company Landscape Architecture from Lake Bluff shut down their business operations so 104 volunteers could give their time and expertise to the 1.6-acre site. Nearly 1/3 of their employees stepped up to do the work.
Removing over 100 cubic yards of overgrowth and debris, they scraped, repaired and repainted all of the equipment: play set, swings, monkey bars and jungle gym, and added basketball rims and nets, planted seven beautiful trees (lindens, ginkgos and coffee trees) and added new family picnic tables. No detail was overlooked including repairing the drainage issues and adding planters and flowers for the entrance.
One major issue was to make the entire playground safe from injuries which included removing all of the wood chips from the play areas and adding 13 tons of child-safe rubber playground mulch.
Photos courtesy of Scott Byron & Co.
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