East End residents shouldn't panic if they see some elements of the Celebration Station playground being torn down this week.
The Charleston playground, built from the ground up by volunteers 22 years ago, is two years past its estimated lifespan and is in need of some TLC. This week's demolition is part of a larger effort to give a much-needed facelift to the long-admired community park, which sits behind Piedmont Elementary on Quarrier Street.
The playground's oversight group, Friends of Celebration Station, seeks to revive the enthusiasm that first led to its creation in April 1994, thanks to a slew of private and public donations, volunteers and engaged residents.
Today, a group of nearly 50 volunteers from the University of Minnesota will clean up the space and remove some of the equipment that has broken down or become obsolete over the years, said Lesly Messina, president of Friends of Celebration Station.
"It's a partial demolition of the structures that, as we move forward, need to be gone to keep [the park] safe while we raise the money to replace the rest," Messina said.
That will include the playground's wooden teepee, the "bouncy car," an older structure that used to hold swings, and the suspension bridge, among others.
Not everything will be replaced, however. The nonprofit is working with Ithaca, N.Y.-based firm Robert Leathers & Associates to provide the architectural designs for the project.
The firm created Celebration Station's original design back in 1994. Messina said the group plans to meet with the firm in the next few weeks to review the project's blueprint.
"[It] will integrate existing structures to keep certain things in place as a remembrance of original playground, but then build new structures around it," Messina said.
The nonprofit must raise roughly $180,000 for the site's renovations - about $20,000 shy of its original construction costs.
More than two decades ago, 3,000 volunteers made up of construction crews, contractors and residents built Celebration Station from the ground up in less than a week.
The initial push to convert what was a blighted, crime-ridden space into a community hub came from Dayton Carpenter and members of his church, Christ Church United Methodist. Carpenter hopes to see that same collective effort from private businesses, residents and public aid to revive the playground.
That approach seems to be the only one that works, considering the gray area surrounding who actually owns the land on which the Celebration Station sits.
Messina said the city of Charleston ceded responsibility for the space when the playground was built, but the Kanawha County Board of Education does not claim it as school property, because it serves the entire community.
However, the school board does pay liability insurance because Piedmont Elementary students use the playground daily, Messina said.
Multiple groups, businesses and individuals funded the playground's initial build-out, such as the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation and the Clay Foundation. Messina said the group plans to take a similar approach this time around. The real estate firm Selling West Virginia recently donated $1,500 for the project assessment, she said.
But the donations of time and labor are just as valuable to the renovations.
Messina plans on reaching out to local contractors and construction firms to ask that they donate their time, employees and equipment in order to save on costs.
Unlike 22 years ago, the group wants to install plaques on new playground equipment to recognize contractors who agree to sponsor it.
"I think they need that recognition," Piedmont Elementary Principal Beth Sturgill said.
Moving forward, Sturgill said she'd like to work with the Kanawha County Board of Education "to increase their buy-in, as far as what they're willing to be responsible for."
In the meantime, the group is trying to get answers regarding the removal of an electric meter a few months ago that left the playground without any power source for construction equipment.
Charleston Parks and Recreation Director John Charnock said city workers did not remove the meter. He's reached out to Appalachian Power to "figure out what we can do to rectify it."
Messina admitted that it's not been easy to raise money to maintain the playground in recent years - it took two years to raise $6,000 for a new slide, she said. But she's optimistic about the community's investment in Celebration Station.
"There are so many things we really need; once we raise the money, moving forward, we need a better agreement for the multiple stakeholders," Messina said.
To learn how to donate to Celebration Station, contact Messina at 304-344-4211 or email at leslyhmessina@gmail.com.
Reach Elaina Sauber at elaina.sauber@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-3051 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.