Norwin moves forward with Hahntown Playground project

The Norwin School Board voted to begin the next step of the Hahntown Elementary School playground project — the first in a multiyear initiative to renovate the district’s playgrounds.

After three different conceptual designs for the playground at Hahntown were presented, the board approved a contract with the company Pashek + MTR to turn the conceptual drawings into bid drawings.

Superintendent Jeff Taylor said the project started three years ago when a master facilities study showed that all of Norwin’s playgrounds needed to be updated over the “next several years.”

The district’s first priority was at Hahntown, as the majority of the other playgrounds “don’t need as extensive of a renovation,” Taylor said.

If all goes according to plan, Norwin’s five playgrounds — including recreational developments at Hillcrest Intermediate School — should be renovated by 2028, according to Taylor.

Lisa Willig, Hahntown Elementary School principal, provided testimony detailing the playground’s state at the November school board meeting.

“We actually had our tunnels start to crack and break,” Willig said about the equipment. “We have metal rivets holding our tunnels together with duct tape over top of the rivets so kids don’t get cut.”

Other safety concerns include swing chains breaking and swing seats pinching students, she said.

Willig said Hahntown students were surveyed at the end of last academic year regarding their favorite playground equipment and what they’d like to see in the new playground.

In addition to higher slides, more swings, tunnels and obstacle courses, students said it’s hard to play football or kickball in the parking lot because of its pitch, she said.

The new playground will include sensory pieces as well, Willig said, to support students with disabilities.

Taylor said the district is seeking a grant of almost $1 million through the North Huntingdon supervisors to offset the playground renovation costs.

North Huntingdon has agreed to apply for state funding through the Local Share Account, which receives revenue from casinos.

The Hahntown Playground renovation would involve site preparation, new sidewalks, picnic tables and benches, and safety features. Among the proposed equipment would be hillclimber ropes, a super dome, twisty toboggan, spinning ride and swings. For another $100,000, an outdoor classroom could be created.

The facilities would be available to the community when school is not in session.

Taylor said he’s unsure when the district will find out if it was awarded the grant, which raised concerns on the board regarding what money would be used if the grant is unsuccessful.

Director Shawna Ilagan voted present and Director Patrick Lynn, an outgoing board member, abstained.

“What if we spend all this money, and we don’t get a big grant?” Ilagan said.

The playground project will be funded by a combination of grant funding and Norwin’s capital projects fund, Taylor said.

Taylor said multiple conceptual designs were developed in case the grant isn’t approved. There is a base bid, which includes the essential renovations, and alternates can be added.

“We have money set aside in (the) capital projects fund to do these kinds of projects,” Taylor said, which is different from Norwin’s general operating fund.

The alternative — and more expensive version — would include a pavilion that would serve as an outdoor classroom for the school and accessible parking connecting the playground with a sport court.

“Students with any physical disabilities or any kind of issues will be able to get throughout the entire playground without any kinds of problems,” Taylor said of the alternative version. “The equipment is a little bit more appropriate for different developmental ages, and so it just provides more variety for those students.”

About $125,000 has been raised through Project Playground and PTA fundraisers, community partnerships and donations to help offset the cost of the renovations.

“The community has been very supportive of fundraising,” Taylor said.

Taylor said he is unable to provide an estimate of the project’s cost until the drawings are complete and bids start to come in.

The remaining playgrounds should be “significantly less in terms of scope and money,” he said.

The playground at Sheridan Terrace Elementary will be the next area for improvement. Taylor said conceptual designs with architects are scheduled to start in 2024.

This story was updated Nov. 27 to clarify Shawna Ilagan’s vote on the project.