Mills River Elementary School Playground & Recess Area Updates

With generous support from fundraising efforts over the past few years, a few improvements have been made to our playground and recess areas and we’ve begun making plans for an even greater outdoor recess area renovation. We are breaking down the updates into two stages.

1st Stage

With the funds raised during 2021-2023 we have purchased an enormous climbing and spinning contraption called the REV8 (which is also handicap accessible) that we had installed during our spring break of 2023!

We will have approximately $8k remaining from the initial funds raised in 2021-2023 to put toward the next stage of updates

Bird's Eye View of Recess-Area and Planned Track, Retaining Walls, and Stairs
REV8 by Barrs Equipment

2nd Stage

We have created a list of dreams for the greater outdoor recess area that includes:

  • Shaded sandbox to provide a sensory area for students.

  • Met with Engineers, Architects, and professional trail builders to create a site plan.

3rd Stage

  • An ADA compliant walking/running/biking path that is about 1/2 mile long

  • A stage for our blossoming drama kids

  • A tiny library where kids can sit back and relax while reading a book

  • Revamped picnic tables

  • Stormwater and erosion control

  • Stairs for ease of access to outdoor recess area and the school from the Academy’s parking lot

  • Retaining walls to cut into various hills and provide space for the walking/biking/running path

  • Clearing brush adjacent to the kickball and soccer fields

  • Shady spaces for students and teachers

  • Additional seating areas for teachers

Here are things that have been in the works and will be coming up:

  • Obtained a $20k trail grant - Thanks Mrs. Hogan for doing that leg work on this one!!!

  • Meeting with county maintenance leaders to ensure we are doing things in the proper order

  • And that is as far as we have planned for the moment… but it seems like a really good place to start!

If you have any questions or ideas please reach out MillsRiverSchoolPTO@gmail.com. We would love to hear them!!!

Playground Volunteer Action Day - February 2024

Playground Volunteer Action Days

  • We had our 1st Playground Action Day where we were able to use generous donations from Home Depot to build a shaded sandbox and remove the fencing in preparation of our planned trail build

  • We had our 2nd Action Day where we brought in the BIG equipment to pull out poles and fill holes.

  • Our 3rd Playground Volunteer Action Day agenda was to take apart and move the Gaga pit in order to allow work to begin on installing the REV8 (that awesome climbing spinning thing we mentioned earlier)

  • Our 4th Playground Action Day is TBD - We will need many strong hands and equipment to clear portions of the playground in order to cost-effectively install our trail.