MAYVILLE – Village officials are thankful for the local community members who stepped up and helped assemble new playground equipment.

During this week’s village board meeting, it was announced that around 60 people came out to help Oct. 4-5 install new playground equipment and parts at Lakeside Park. There was also a new smaller playground installed at Pearl Gravit Memorial Park.

“It was very impressive, the quality of help in this community,” said Village Clerk John Crandall.

Along with village employees and community adults, there were students from the Chautauqua Lake Central School’s manufacturing class, and representatives from Girl Scouts on hand.

Trustee Dan Roush praised the students who came. “Those kids got out there, and they were into places that we could get or didn’t think about going because we thought we couldn’t get out. They were out there raking mulch and putting mulch in there. … It was really impressive to see those kids,” he said.

Trustee Janel Webb agreed. “They did a great job. Those wheelbarrows were heavy and they were out there hauling them back and forth,” he said.

The work isn’t quite done.

The playground at the Gravits ball field is finished. At Lakeside Park, the swings aren’t up yet. The poles needed to sit longer to let the foundation settle. More mulch needs to be spread out.

Officials hope to be able to have the playground finished sometime the week of Oct. 14.

The village Department of Public Works will also be installing some musical toy equipment at the Village Green Park in downtown.

The playground equipment cost around $140,000. The village used American Rescue Plan Act funds to pay for the equipment. That money came from the federal government following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor Rick Syper thanked all employees, but especially praised Treasurer Jen Obert, who was the main organizer behind the project. “This was really her brainstorm and all that. The credit behind this goes to Jen and the village staff,” he said.