Columbus’ new Bridging the Gap playground
New Bridging The Gap Playground Dedicated Today
By Sara Davenport, staff writer
On October 25, 2012, after three years of fund-raising and planning, CSU’s Servant Leadership Program formally dedicated a new community playground that’s uniquely designed to serve children with disabilities.
Students from Fox Elementary wait to “test” the new playground equipment
“These students saw an opportunity to create an amazing playground for students of all abilities, and even with a price tag of more than $400,000, they were not deterred and neither were the community partners they approached. The finished product is a result of what Columbus is known for — public-private partnerships,” said Dr. Stuart Rayfield, the Frank Brown Distinguished Chair in Servant Leadership and director of CSU’s Servant Leadership program. Mr. Bill Turner, who was recognized for his involvement with the Servant Leadership program, quoted his father saying, “No one ever got excited over a small dream – dream big.” That’s exactly what the Servant Leadership students are doing – dreaming big. Dr. Timothy Mescon, President of Columbus State University, opened the program by posing the question, “What will we do next?” I’m sure the community shares my excitement to see what this group of amazing students will do next.
The dinosaur bones are a huge hit!
Students and supporters of the program have raised more than $400,000 for the project. Students still need a little more money for final touches such as landscaping (Trees Columbus is donating and planting trees in a couple months) and building a fence around the playground. If you would like to make a donation to The Bridging The Gap Playground, please send your tax-deductible gift to Dr. Stuart Rayfield, 4225 University Avenue, Servant Leadership Department, Schuster Building, Columbus, GA 31907. Checks should be written to CSU Servant Leadership and write playground in the memo field.
The Spiders Web is also a hit!
The playground isn’t open yet – contractors will start pouring a special floor starting tomorrow – but it should be ready for play sometime after Halloween. Muscogee Moms will let you know when the Bridging The Gap playground is open and ready for playdates!
Note: The playground is located behind the Columbus Public Library on Macon Road. If you turn onto Boxwood Blvd. from Macon Rd., you’ll see it on the right.
