Ribbon cut for new playground in Upper St. Clair

Harry Funk / The Almanac
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Youngsters race to be the first ones to try the new playground at Baker Elementary School.
As the crucial moment approached, Patrick McClintock-Comeaux had a reminder for his students.
“I feel obligated to let you know we should walk down there,” the principal of Upper St. Clair’s Baker Elementary School told the youngsters.

Harry Funk / The Almanac
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Briggs Wilson and Colette Barefoot enjoy the new equipment.
But, hey, a new playground was within their sights. And as soon as members of the committee responsible for getting it built cut the ceremonial red ribbon Aug. 23, the stampede began.
Everyone did make it safely to enjoy playing on what until recently had featured nothing but a handful of swing sets, now a gleaming array of the latest in age-appropriate equipment.
Prior to the ribbon-cutting, McClintock-Comeaux described to a large and enthusiastic crowd the two-year process culminating in the new playground.
Baker, you see, does have a playground that’s two decades old and was in need of renovation. Its location, though, is on the other side of the school building from the door leading to and from the cafeteria.

Harry Funk / The Almanac
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Kristie Proud thanks everyone who had a part in building the new playground.
The resulting pair of issues, as the principal explained them:
“We need to somehow transport our children from here over to the playground while supervising them. And we want to have a new playground. And we don’t want to spend a whole lot of money doing it.”
High school students who were taking Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics design class at the time examined the situation and suggested, “Why don’t you just move the playground to where lunch is, so that you can do it all at the same time?”
Students in another high school class, advanced architecture, developed a scale model for the new playground. In the meantime, Baker’s playground committee – led by Kristie Proud, then PTA president – came up with a series of fundraising activities toward the $60,000 needed for the overall project, which has included giving the existing playground a makeover.
At the unveiling, Proud thanked numerous people and organizations for their efforts, including the Community Foundation of Upper St. Clair, which provided a grant; Snider Recreation Inc., which designed the playground and oversaw construction; Mascaro Construction Co. for providing the labor to drill all the holes necessary for equipment installation; and Upper St. Clair School District for clearing out old equipment, preparing the grounds for construction and putting down mulch afterward.

Harry Funk / The Almanac
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Head of the playground committee Kristie Proud receives a hug from committee member Libby Mascaro.
A community build day in July accomplished most of the work, and Proud thanked the Baker parents and educators involved “who donated their time and their sweat.” She also expressed gratitude to Lindsay Beck, the incoming PTA president, for spreading the word about the venture, and to her fellow playground committee members.
“They have brainstormed on ways to raise money for the playground,” she said. “They have researched different playground materials and structures, and they have worked events promoting the playground.”
In turn, one of the members, Libby Mascaro, encouraged everyone to thank Proud:
“None of it actually could have been done without Kristie.”

Harry Funk / The Almanac
Harry Funk / The Almanac
From left are playground committee members Melissa DePuy, Michelle Urban, Karly Foster, Kristie Proud, Libby Mascaro and Christina Casciani, along with Patrick McClintock-Comeaux.

Harry Funk / The Almanac
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Youngsters enjoy the new playground at Baker Elementary School.

Harry Funk / The Almanac
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Youngsters enjoy the new playground at Baker Elementary School.