New Playground Coming to Sturges Park

Residents will soon see a new playground at Sturges Park. The park’s master planning committee has been working on the plans for about a year, and has short and long term goals in mind for the park.

The committee first plans to reconstruct the current playground and move it further from the road. The new playground will be made for children in pre-school and elementary school. It will have a safety fence, benches and picnic tables. The new playground will also feature two swing bays, a double slide, climbing walls and a tire swing.

The town has provided $45,000 through the Capital Improvements program to rebuild the playground, however, an additional $5,000 is needed before June 1 to complete the work and order the equipment for summer delivery.

The committee hopes to have the playground complete in June.

"It is exciting to see it get a needed face lift," member of the Friends of Sturges Park Committee Lisa Egan said.

The committee is accepting tax deductible donations and has several restaurant night fundraisers planned. If you would like to make a donation, mail a check, made out to Friends of Reading Recreation, to 15 Pine Ridge Circle, Reading, MA, 01867. 

Here is a list of the events the committee has planned for the next few weeks:

• Wednesday, May 15: Bertucci’s in Reading will donate a percentage of orders all day, including take out, for those who mention Sturges Park when ordering.
• Saturday, May 18 at 3 p.m.: The committee will hold a corn hole/bean bag toss tournament. The cost is $25 per person. The event will be held at 15 Pine Ridge Circle, and tickets are on sale now. This family friendly event will feature a bouncy house and music. Checks should be made out to: Friends of Reading Recreation, and please write Sturges Park in the memo line. Mail your check to 15 Pine Ridge Circle, Reading, MA 01867.  
• Wednesday, May 29: Mandarin in Reading will donate a percentage of all orders all day, including drinks and take out, for those who mention Sturges Park when ordering.
• Sunday, June 9: From 4-6 p.m. at the Reading Gymnastics Academy kids can enjoy an obstacle course and gymnastics session. The cost is $10 per child with a $25 family maximum.

After the playground is completed, the committee will start working on their next projects, which include creating a woodland trail, lighted play field, additional parking, a half-mile walking track, softball field with bleachers, half basketball court, soccer field and tennis court.

For more information, please visit www.sturgesparkreading.com or email sturgespark@gmail.com.