Harlem Wizards to Play in Support of West View Playground Renovation

This is our sad little playground," said Eileen Shamonsky, as she showed off the triangular piece of property tucked behind the West View Elementary School. 

No grass is to be found. The play area, where 70 to 80 kids gather at any one time during recess, measures 62-feet-by-47-feet. It includes rusting monkey bars and uneven bars, several decaying wood climbers, a balance beam, fire pole and two slides. An adjacent blacktop area is also used for games. 

The playground equipment is at least 25 years old, Shamonsky said. 

It's been spray-painted and cared for as much as possible over the years, she said, but little by little the equipment is running its course. One slide had to be removed after the slide deterioriatedand the structure became known as the "stairs to nowhere." 

"This is what we have left," she said. 

Shamonsky chairs the fund-raising committee for the West View Elementary Parents and Teachers Association and has helped organize Monday's game between the Harlem Wizards basketball team and the North Hills Playground Players. 

The home team features a lineup that includes Bruce Fromlak, West View police chief and borough manager, North Hills School District Superintendnet Patrick Mannarino, and Judge Richard Opiela of Magisterial District Court 05-2-02. 

The event is intended to raise enough — or close to enough — money to remodel the playground, which not only serves the elementary school students but is also a focal point of the West View community. 

"Parents gather here and kids play after school," Shamonsky said, adding that during the summer, the playground area is packed with people. "It becomes a big family. It's great." 

The cost for a new out-of-the-box play set is estimated at $35,000, said Elizabeth Streza, co-chair of the design committee. A custom play set — which the group prefers — will run about $64,000. 

The school district doesn't budget money for the playground equipment, leaving the design and cost of the play areas to the PTAs. After the playgrounds are installed, however, the district maintains the equipment. 

The West View PTA has spent several years trying to find the money without direct fund-raising, Streza said.

But, “being creative at this point requires funding,” she said. 

A bingo held in the fall raised $1,500. Monday's basketball game is the group's second fund-raising event. 

Tip-off is at 7 p.m. in the , 55 Rochester Road in Ross Township. 

Advance purchase tickets are $10 per adult and $8 per student and can be purchased at the district’s Athletics & Activities Office, located in the senior high school, from 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

Tickets can also be ordered online at www.harlemwizards.com or by contacting Shamonsky at 412-939-0509 or via email at eski2330@comcast.net. 

Advance purchase tickets will be available through Friday. 

Tickets will be available at the door; however, the cost of admission will increase to $12 per adults and $10 per student.  

The team lineup for the Playground Players includes:

• Sonny Amato – kindergarten teacher, McIntyre Elementary
• John Curran – English teacher,
• Bruce Fromlak – police chief and borough manager,
• Stephen Garcia – response to intervention teacher,
• Bruce Goodworth – grade 4 teacher, West View Elementary
• JoAnn Harrop– Lifestyle & Fashion reporter, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
• Matt Holland – police officer, West View Borough
• David Lieberman – principal,
• Tom Lisak – social studies teacher, North Hills Senior High School
• Steve Long – special education teacher, North Hills Senior High, and baseball coach
• Kevin Lyons – physical education teacher, North Hills elementary schools
• Patrick Mannarino – superintendent,
• Chris Mikula – physical education teacher, West View Elementary
• Richard Opiela – judge
• Brett Parkhill – grade 1 teacher,
• Dennis Scharding – learning support teacher, West View Elementary
• Jesse Simpson – principal, West View Elementary
• Doug Sundo – special education teacher, , and track coach
• Todd Towne – West View Borough Police
• Patrick Weber – physical education teacher, Highcliff Elementary
• John Zawalnicki – guidance counselor, West View Elementary

The Playground Players are coached by Ms. Diane Oberst, an art teacher at Ross and West View Elementary schools and coach of the North Hills girls’ seventh grade basketball team. 

Miss “O” is assisted by retired Ross Township police officer/DARE Officer Robert Muchenski (Officer Mutch) and Johnny Angel, lead singer of Johnny Angel & the Halo’s. Additional support for the Playground Players will be provided by the North Hills eighth and ninth grade cheerleading squads. 

Refreshments and merchandise will be available for purchase and attendees will have the opportunity to attend an autograph session with the Harlem Wizards following the game.