News

Installation begins on new playground at community garden

PAUL SQUIRE PHOTO | Construction on the new playground at the River and Roots Community Garden began Monday.

Downtown’s River and Roots Community Garden is getting a new addition this week: a playground for local kids.

Installation on the playground – the only one in downtown Riverhead — began Monday morning and is expected to wrap up in the next two to three days, said contractors at the West Main Street site.

The playground will be located next to the garden near Grangebel Park, and will feature a slide, seesaw and jungle gym.

“It’s not going to look like a regular jungle gym,” said foreman Anthony Barbato of Louis Barbato Landscaping. “Everything will be very modern.”

Contractors said they had to pull up a cherry tree on the site that was “no good” and will lay wood chips down around the park to provide a cushion for kids.

The playground will cost $51,374 to build, according to a contract awarded by the Town Board four months ago. The project is being funded by a Community Development Block Grant, which comes from federal funds, rather than town property taxes.

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