DOWAGIAC — While the playground at Patrick Hamilton Elementary School may look sparse at the moment, it will soon be home to several colorful contraptions, which will allow children to swing, climb and slide to their hearts’ content.

However, to make that happen, the school is asking the community to lend a hand.

Patrick Hamilton Elementary School, 614 Spruce St., Dowagiac, will be putting in new playground equipment next month.

To help with installation, the elementary school is turning to the public by hosting a community build day from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. May 18.

“This is very exciting,” said interim principal Andrea van der Laan. “I’ve been on these [builds] before, and they always go very smoothly. … People always say, ‘many hands make light work.’”

In total, the playground, which is also open to the community, will be adding six new pieces, which were purchased through a $28,000 grant from the Pokagon Fund. The grant was applied for by late Patrick Hamilton Elementary School principal Heather Nash, who will have a memorial bench placed in her honor in the new playground. 

Van der Laan added that the new playground pieces, which were chosen through input from school staff and the parent-teacher organization, will aid students in ways that the current swings and slides at the school do not.

“When you look at these [new] pieces, you’ve got a lot of child development geared in here,” she said. “You’ve got balance items. You’ve got group items where there is teamwork needed. You’ve got climbing items. So, [the pieces] are working every part of the child’s body.”

According to van der Laan, play is essential for the development of children, which can teach them teamwork, problem solving and creativity.

“Play is very important,” she said. “I think some people think, ‘oh, the kids are just playing,’ but there is more to it than that.”

Saying that she is excited to see the new playground equipment go in, Van der Laan encouraged the community to partake in the installation next month.

“This is a community playground, so even when school is not in session people are allowed to use it dawn to dusk,” she said. “It’s everybody’s playground, not just the school’s, and everyone should be able to be a part of it.”

To volunteer to help install the new playground equipment during the community build day May 18, interested volunteers can call the Patrick Hamilton Elementary School office at (269) 782-4450.