LYNNFIELD — Third grader Sabrina Hayman could hardly contain her excitement Wednesday.
The 9-year-old Summer Street Elementary School student and her classmates blew bubbles to celebrate the ribbon cutting for a new swing set.
“Without the swings, recess was really boring,” she said. “I almost always play on them, even at home, because they’re so much fun.”
The bright blue set, complete with one handicapped accessible seat, was a gift from Everett Bank. The Summer Street Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) came up with the idea and raised $15,000 to prepare the 50-by-100-foot spot in front of the K-4 school.
PTO co-presidents Kathryn Price and Pamela MacDonald were on hand for the unveiling.
“It was a longtime project that finally came to fruition,” said Price.
The idea was launched nearly two years ago, Price said, when students and faculty said swings were the one thing missing from the school’s playground equipment.
The PTO contacted Selectman Philip Crawford who had experience with playground projects. They also reached out to Ed Champy, who has two children at Summer Street.
Champy is a principal at Waypoint Cos., a Saugus general contractor best known for completing a number apartment building projects in Boston.
“Ed donated a ton of site and digging work, including what turned out to be a false start at another location on the school grounds,” Price said. “It ended up being was a much larger project than anyone expected.”
Champy said the biggest challenge was digging it twice. They began installation at the far side of the school’s baseball field, but quickly learned from the fourth grade boys that they play football there.
“We had dug the hole and had to relocate to the front of the building,” he said. “That site had its own challenges because we discovered the area was wet so we had to install a drainage system, like a French drain on a house. But we recently had the rainiest month in 80 years and there’s no water here, so clearly we did something right.”
The equipment was manufactured by BCI Burke Co., a Wisconsin-based playground, park and recreation equipment maker. The swing set was installed by Childscapes of Marshfield.
Crawford and former Town Moderator Authur Bourque guided the $200,000 renovation of Glen Meadow Park two years ago which included the demolition and reconstruction of a new playground and offered to lend a hand.
“Childscapes donated the installation saving us $1,500,” Crawford said. “It was a great example of a public-private partnership.”
Karen Dwyer, the Summer Street principal, said the swing set is a huge addition to the school.
“There are lines to use the swings every day,” she said. “It must be a childhood ritual and tradition that is really important to them. To have it as part of the school has been terrific for the children. They just love it.”
