PORTSMOUTH — In less than three weeks, children of all ages and abilities will be swinging, sliding, and scampering at a brand-new playground on Turnpike Avenue.

The Four Hearts Foundation (4HF) is nearing the finish line on completing the “all-inclusive” playground which has been designed by O’Brien and Sons. The new play area will feature zip-lines, handicapped-accessible structures for ages 2 to 5 and 5 to 12, swings, ramps, soft flooring to replace mulch, musical and play components throughout, seating, picnic tables and more.

“It feels amazing,” said Kateri Chappell Buerman, who runs 4HF, the nonprofit that received approval from the Town Council two years ago to start fund-raising for the playground. “It’s been a really awesome community process. My favorite thing is when people ask me, ‘How close are we?’”

Pretty close indeed. All of the structures have been installed, and the recycled rubber flooring has been poured (it needs to sit for a week). 

“What we’re working on right now is everything on the outside,” said Buerman, noting the focus is on grass seed, the parking lot, a new fence, and landscaping. 

Beurman also received permission from the Town Council on April 22 to install a double-sided sign about 31 square feet in area that will be placed at least 10 feet from the property line off Turnpike Avenue. No lightning will be associated with the sign.

June 1 celebration

The playground is slated to open on Saturday, June 1.

“We’re having an opening day ceremony and celebration from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. We’ll have Newport Trolleys that will go back and forth from the high school, because there’s limited parking in the (playground’s) parking lot,” said Beurman, adding that the Imagination Library presented by the Bazarsky Family Foundation is sponsoring the trolley runs.

Over the past two years, 4HF held fund-raisers and sought donations and small grants from foundations and trusts to meet its goal of $600,000 to building the playground. Just recently, the project received a matching recreation grant of $60,000 from the R.I. Department of Environmental Management. The playground was awarded one of 11 grants that are funded by green bonds submitted by the General Assembly as part of the governor’s proposed budget.

Beurman said even young children have donated toward the project through proceeds from lemonade stands and more. “Some kids have given me their piggy banks,” she said.

She’s beyond grateful for the overwhelming community effort from local residents, town officials, Department of Public Works, and the countless number of companies that have donated their time to ensure the job gets done. “A-1 Paving, Seasonal Solutions, Tiger Landscaping, Tim Braz Excavating, DeCastro Excavating, Whipple Tree, All Island Landscape and JPS Construction have gone above and beyond to help the beautification process,” she said.

For more information or to donate toward the playground project, visit https://fourheartsfoundation.com.