I had tears in my eyes and goosebumps in 85 degree heat loading bags of cement into the mixer, as I looked up at Rick Snelgrove smiling in the sunshine, racheting in bolts, watching over all those people from all different neighborhoods and backgrounds grind out the playground. We took a patch of dirt behind the school and turned it into Torie's Place V. V as in Roman numeral five, as in the Snelgrove's and Mike from UtiliPlay have done this four other times.
The most unimaginable tragedy you can imagine as a parent is the untimely and tragic passing of one of your children. The remarkable (and for me spiritually uplifting) thing the Snelgrove's have done is to somehow morph that into a positive LEGACY of caring, passion, understanding, and giving. Hundreds of people showed up to dig holes, get dirty, pour cement, and assemble what can only be described in our inimitable Massachusetts way as a 'wicked cool' playground.
As near as I can tell, the recipe is this: Gather some space, time, money, people and positive spirit. Remove any egos, pity, sorrows, regret, roots, rocks and other 'obstacles'. Add together and mix until done. It works.
Until now, the Brookfield School's biggest children's attraction was a big, white rock in the front yard, surrounded, as other rocks in that neighborhood are, by fencing. But in the back courtyard there are trees and sunshine and - thanks to the Snelgrove's desire and ability to propagate joy, hope, togetherness, caring, remembrance and just about every other positive human emotion - an enduring symbol of love, compassion and fun.
After the cameras, politicians, helpers, trucks, equipment and rubbish were gone the kids 'tested' it, and let me be the first to tell you...it...is ...AWESOME!
Thanks for sharing, Torie. <3
