Students at Assumption Catholic School celebrated the installation of brand-new playground equipment in a ribbon cutting ceremony on Jan. 23.
This new playground equipment cost nearly $250,000 and Principal Maryann Jimenez said it took two cycles of the school’s annual fundraisers to fully fund. The school selected New York-based Play By Design – the same company that designed and installed the equipment for Jacksonville Beach’s Sunshine Playground at South Beach Park – for this new installation, which created custom-designed and -built, castle-themed playground equipment for the Knights to enjoy during their recesses.
“That was something very unique about this company that we really loved,” Jimenez said. “We didn’t want playground equipment that you could see at other places. A lot of the playground equipment around town is just similar pieces, and this was very special to us because this company specifically designs for your community.”
The fundraisers for this new equipment saw support from current Assumption families and the Assumption community, but also from Assumption alumni, the Knights of Columbus Bishop Kenny Council 1951 and the Men’s Club from Assumption Catholic Church.
This new equipment replaces the previous setup, installed sometime in the early 2000s, Jimenez said, and completes the first of the school’s multi-phase long-term fundraising goals for “Outdoor Enhancements.” Phase two is comprised of a new sports court featuring basketball and, possibly, pickleball courts, for which the school has already raised nearly $20,000 as of Nov. 17. Later phases include ideas like an outdoor classroom and a greenhouse for the school’s STREAM program.
