St. Anastasia & Kids’ Depot Playground Project

Our playground committee worked with Flagship Recreation out of Lake Elmo, MN to narrow in on the final playground design. Originally, this was set up to be a 3 phase install, however we are happy to report we were able to raise the funds to purchase all 3 phases at once!  Here are some fun highlights about the new playground design:

• The new playground will feature play areas for the different age groups that use it. There will be play equipment for the 2-5 age group and the 5-12 age group.
• The old equipment will be replaced with modern, ADA-complaint, inclusive equipment.
• The equipment selected will enhance the educational experience for students at the school and daycare. It will encourage social, emotional, language, cognitive, and physical skill development.
• There will be a few pieces of equipment that promote musical play that the school can incorporate into the music curriculum / instruction. 
• All of these features will also help encourage skill enrichment and development for children and families from the community who utilize the playground during evenings and weekends.

Our initial budget for this project was $150,000 and we are beyond thrilled to share that as of July 1, 2022 we have raised just over $119,000! Late this spring, we had raised the amount needed to cover our expenses, and had halted our fundraising efforts. However with the increasing costs as of late, we may need to do some additional fundraising to assist with the increased expenses related to demo and install. We will re-initiate our fundraising campaign if that is the case.

From the very beginning we wanted this to be about community. Afterall, the St. Anastasia playground serves the K-6 elementary school, Kids’ Depot Daycare and the surrounding neighborhoods. When it comes time to demo the current equipment and install the new playground, we will be conducting a community build! That means you can gather your tools and join us as we help create a better space for your children.

Flagship has set our install to begin on August 9th thru August 12th, 2022. If you are willing to help  please sign up via the button below. The more hands on deck, the faster we can get the new playground in!

I would like to volunteer!

As a member of the extended St. Anastasia family community or Kids’ Depot, there are several ways in which you can participate:

• Drop off or mail a check to: St. Anastasia Catholic School, Attn: Playground, 400 Lake St SW, Hutchinson, MN 55350
• Make an online donation (look for the School Fundraising box and put “Playground” in the comments)
• Consider volunteering for the demolition and community build of the new playground when the time comes. Many hands make light work!