(PHOTOS) Community Satisfies Appetite for Destruction

It could've been mistaken for an angry mob. Wielding sledgehammers and handsaws, several dozen community members descended Saturday, June 25, on aging with one goal in mind: complete destruction.

Between district employees, community members and volunteers from Edina-based home remodeler , the playground was there and gone within the span of a couple hours.

Principal Chris Holden said it was "exciting" to watch as the towers, slides and monkey bars—all cemented into place 16 years ago—came crashing to the ground.

"This thing was nearing the end of its lifespan and just needed to come down," Holden said. "If you wait until it's falling apart, it's too late." 

Dave Peterson, vice president with M|A|Peterson, said his company got involved as a way to "give back to the community that has given them so much."

"We just look at nice opportunities that fit us and our skill set," Peterson said.

The company is recycling quite a bit of material from the former playground, including hauling the pea gravel to other locations throughout Edina and potentially repurposing the wooden playground itself into benches.

"We really didn't want to just put all of this into a landfill," he said. 

Lynne Clarke, an adapted physical education instructor with the district, said several of her fifth-graders kept asking her when they'd be able to "finally use the new equipment."

"Because we're getting rid of the rock, we're making this something anyone can access," Clarke said. "It's a community place to play and kids really need something like that." 

Work begins in the next couple of weeks on the , which is scheduled to open for play on Aug. 17.