New Haven Independent

On Saturday three dozen Friends of East Rock Park, with whom the block watch has joined forces, descended on the scenic yet dilapidated playground to scrape, prime, and paint no fewer than eight benches, three climbing gyms, and two swing sets.

The city has committed to replacing all the park’s aging apparatus, including adding a splash pad, for budgetary reasons. But until this weekend only small steps have been taken: a sand box that local cats had favored has been replaced by yes, cedar, chips.

And because of neighbors’ safety concerns, the poorly lit park will have several new lights installed in November.

Still, the expensive piece, the replacement of aging equipment, would have to wait for better budgetary times. That happened even though neighbors importuned the city for more than two and a half years. Neighbors decided delay was no longer good enough.

That’s when Thompson and Justin Elicker (left in photo), co-chairs of FERP, cut the deal: If the city provided the paint and supplies, the neighbors would provide the labor for an interim spiffing up. And so they did.

Elicker said that Parks staff had been helpful in prepping for the scraping process and providing paint, tarps, and brushes.

With neighbors and FERPs like Natalie Shonka willing both to prime on the rainy, damp Saturday and topcoat Sunday, the playground will soon have a new look.

The interim job, said Elicker, would not keep them from sustaining the pressure for the new equipment.

“When you do something,” said Betty Thompson, “you find a way.”