Belmont's Butler School Playground to be torn down over safety concerns
By Evan Allen, Globe Correspondent
The Butler Elementary School Playground, closed Nov. 3 due to safety concerns regarding broken-down equipment, will be razed and rebuilt instead of repaired, according to Interim Superintendent Thomas Kingston.
In a letter sent out to parents this week, he wrote that “We do not believe that there are any temporary repairs than can ensure reasonable safety of the play area, and what money is currently available would best support the comprehensive replacement plan.”
School Committee Chair Laurie Graham said that the school department has promised $10,000 to help pay for the demolition of the existing structure, which was built about 20 years ago. She said that the Butler Parent-Teacher Association is helping with fundraising.
In his letter, Kingston said that the school department had included $100,000 in its capital budget request for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2012. Graham said that school officials are still trying to figure out when the current structure will be torn down, but said that they hope to have at least some play equipment built by spring.
Evan Allen can be reached at evannn524@gmail.com.
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