March 19, 2024

Volunteers needed for Maytag playground renovation project beginning next week

The Maytag Playground renovation is set for July 14-26, and city staff will remove the old equipment and prepare the site for installation next week.

The new equipment will be installed Wednesday, July 23, through Saturday, July 26. The new playground design includes two large play structures, climbing walls, swings, and a variety of other equipment. Park goers can expect the playground to be closed during the removal and installation process.

Park staff is asking businesses, organizations and citizens to volunteer their time and help with the installation process.

“One of the major goals of this project was to allow the community to get involved. We want to give people an opportunity to make a difference and be able give back to the park system.” Newton Administrative Parks Superintendent Nathan Unsworth said. “This is not a small project — it is going to take four long days to complete. However, we know this community will rally around this exciting improvement to Maytag Park.”

Anyone interested in volunteering is encouraged to contact the park office. Park staff has set up three different volunteer shifts — from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 12:30 to 5 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. — on Wednesday, July 23; 12:30 to 5 p.m. Thursday, July 24; and Friday, July 25. Park staff would like eight to 10 volunteers for each time period and request volunteers be 16 years of age or older.

On Saturday, July 26, work will begin at 8 a.m., and park staff is looking for up to 50 volunteers to help with installing landscaping fabric, shoveling gravel and spreading wood chips. Volunteers under the age of 16 are encouraged to participate on Saturday.

“It will be exciting to see community members come together to work on this project. I think people are going feel really proud to be able to say ‘I helped build that,’” Unsworth said.

For more information about the project and to sign up to volunteer, contact the Newton Park Office at (641) 792-1470 or by emailing Nathan Unsworth at nathanu@newtongov.org.