Playground History

We have a 'well loved' playground.

First and foremost, our current upper playground is over 25 years old and it shows. Our equipment has been well-loved by our children over the years. Equipment that was once cutting edge is now outdated. What was once wheelchair friendly at the time is now the absolute bare minimum in accessibility standards. The sun has faded pieces, mirrors and windows are now scratched, paint is chipped, pieces are rusted. Many items are rendered useless and are no longer being supported by the manufacturer leaving us no choice but to remove the failed equipment without replacement. Unfortunately, new equipment is a cost passed on to the school's PTO like all other elementary schools within the district.


Time to make it inclusive.

Alongside our aging playground, a few years ago, as part of a District tax levy, the Buildings and Grounds Department planned to resurface our playground to meet ADA standards. This project includes removing the current playground rock surface and adding underlayment to support ADA compliant wood chips. The district also planned to replace basketball hoops and resurface the pavement.

Bringing updates full circle.

As part of the 2021 approved bond to update Countryside's parking lot, the district also planned to put in a sidewalk surface connecting the parking lot off Tracy Avenue to the playground. With the construction changes to accommodate the new classrooms and flex space for the Spanish dual language program, the construction of the playground is to align with these changes scheduled for summer 2023.


So to recap… new parking lot, new classrooms / flex space, new sidewalk - while we are moving dirt, let’s update the upper playground at the same time!

Who helped get us to this point?
Our Countryside Playground Committee, which consists of teachers, school building and maintenance representatives, parents, and kids, has been hard at work over the past few years. After discussions with vendors, analysis and play at 20+ playgrounds across the Twin Cities, and many meetings… a vendor was selected in the fall of 2021! This vendor helped provide the vision we were looking for, as well as met our following requirements:

  • Emphasis on ADA inclusivity and accessibility

  • Identify opportunities to retain or repurpose current usable equipment


How we plan to meet our fundraising goal:
As of October 1, 2022, the PTO is holding $187,000 (from previous fundraising initiatives), approximately 50% of our fundraising goal. The remaining amount will be raised through additional school fundraisers (including Bash), grants, and community donations.


And last but not least, thank you!

To our donors, Playground Committee, past PTO volunteers - thank you for support you've given us. We are so grateful for the time, energy and financial donations to get us where we are today. We can't wait to see the Countryside community playing on this playground!