New Playground Headed for Spring Groundbreaking, Fundraising Two-Thirds Complete

The project to build a new playground at is about two-thirds of its way toward its fundraising goal.

The Friends of Patton Park group is hoping to raise $150,000 to build a new playground at the Hamilton park, and plans to break-ground on the project next spring.

So far, $97,000 has been raised toward the project, according to Holly Regan of the Friends group. If fundraising goes as scheduled, Regan said the project would be put out to bid this fall and construction would begin, weather-permitting, in the spring. And this week, the Hamilton Zoning Board of Adjustment released a decision granting its approval for the installation of new playground equipment.

“The new playground is going to go in the same footprint of the playground that is there now,” said Sean Timmons, director of the Hamilton-Wenham Recreation Commission, who has been working with the Friends committee and Town Manager Michael Lombardo.

Timmons said that the parks master plan that is being written right now has the playground planned for its current location, which will leave rooms for a new pool, new wading pool and new splash pad at the park.

If a few weeks, the group plans “more broad-based” fundraising, including hanging flyers in the two towns and seeking corporate sponsors.