By Blair Dedrick, New Era Staff Writer

Can a playground be built with nothing but volunteers and a dream?

The members of Leadership Hopkinsville think so.

“This playground’s going to be something the whole community benefits from,” said the Rev. Brandt Lyon of Olivet Baptist Church, who presented the group’s proposal to Hopkinsville city council members acting as the Committee of the Whole on Thursday. “This playground is more than just swings and slides.”

Lyon said the company Leathers and Associates has helped design many such playgrounds that could include anything from a castle to a pirate ship and beyond.

“The design will come from the imaginations of our children,” he said, adding that a Design Day will occur on Jan. 8. “We would like it to be as big as possible. At the least, worst case scenario, we would be taking care of the Tot Lot for you.”

The group proposed locating the playground at the North Drive Recreation Complex, which is undergoing renovation to turn softball fields into soccer and multi-purpose fields.

The members of Leadership Hopkinsville intend to build the playground for $175,000, but the size will depend on how much money is actually raised, Lyon said.

“We intend to raise 100 percent of the funds on our own,” he said. “We have several thousand dollars pledged already.”

The group asked council members to authorize them to use a $65,000 grant for crumb rubber for the playground, especially since the grant expires on June 30, 2008.

“We anticipate members of the community putting this together,” Lyon said, adding that with the community creating and building the playground the city can get the Tot Lot two years before it is scheduled as well as being able to use money anticipated for that project in other ways.

The group also asked for 10,000 square feet at North Drive to put the playground in.

Planning Commission Executive Director Steve Bourne expressed support for the project and told council members that it would fit in with the preliminary designs for the complex. He also recommended approving the use of the crumb rubber grant.

Council members were cautiously enthusiastic.

“I think it’s a rather ambitious undertaking, but something the community needs,” Paul Henson said.

Mayor Dan Kemp spoke in favor of the project.

“It is very ambitious, but we don’t want to stand in front of enthusiasm,” he said. “From administration, we’re willing to work with Leadership Hopkinsville on this project.”

Charitable donations for the project will be collected through the Local Development Council under the name “Project Playground.”

The council members voted to send a resolution of support for the project for formal adoption at the Jan. 7 city council meeting.