The day the 'castle' fell - the end of an era

By Karen Blake

     It was a sad day and a milestone of sorts for young and old alike in the Gowanda community, when the "castle" in St. John Park was taken down.

     For many years, the castle, fortress, tree house, space ship - was whatever the imagination of the hundreds of children who climbed up, on and in the huge wooden play structure wanted it to be. A few children clambered around the brown painted timbers one last time (Aug. 18) before the great machines came, crunching off huge chunks of wooden planks and beams and poles - toppling the colorfully painted "castle" - until the play structure was no more.

     "We liked it because it was big!" the kids said. And big it was, especially to a child. A giant maze of interconnecting walkways, steps, ladders, sliding poles and slides to explore that seemed to go on forever.

     "Kids never got tired of it," says John Dedloff, Gowanda village trustee and recreation commissioner. "'That is the challenge," according to Dedloff, "finding and building another play structure that will challenge the imagination, and exercise children's minds as well as their bodies.

     Ironically, Aug. 18, when the play structure was taken down was 18 years to the day - Aug. 18, 1985 - when the structure and the creative play area in St. John Park was dedicated to Gowanda School Principal Arnie Brown.

     "It was a community effort," according to Dr. Robert Heichberger, who, along with many others, participated in planning for and building the old play structure. The community-supported project, spearheaded by Rob Gaylord, was built in one weekend. There were about 25 people doing the construction, recalled Heichberger, many assistants and helpers, and others who brought in food and did whatever needed to be done.

     The well-used play structure, which was the mainstay of the popular summer youth recreation program, had seen better days. With the structure continually needing repairs, village officials were concerned about the safety of the children. On the recommendation of a playground inspector, they declared this was to be its last season. It was decided to remove the structure before it became a liability.

     The village board is committed to the parks and to the recreation program, says Dedloff. They are looking at grants, which the village would have to match and other funding to replace the play structure. The cost is estimated to be about $100,000 depending on what the community can do. The cost of the old play structure was $63,000.

     Again hoping for community support, a committee is being formed to get input from adults as well as young people, to help the recreation commission decide on what kind of play structure should be built. The goal is to have a new one by next spring. Anyone wanting to be on the committee or who has ideas should contact the village, or Dedloff at 532-5924.

     A separate fund has been setup at Gowanda HSBC Bank so anyone in the community can donate specifically for the new play structure. Checks should be made out to: St. John Park Playground Fund.

     Dedloff stated, "The parks belong to everyone." He explained the recreation program serves not just children in the village, but is open to and welcomes kids from the entire Gowanda area. It is also supported by donations from surrounding towns as well as the village.

     This summer's six-week youth recreation and swim program had 312 children registered from Gowanda, Dayton, Persia, Collins and Perrysburg. "We need to continue to upgrade the parks," declared Dedloff. "The kids have shown the interest, we shouldn't turn our backs on them. We need to give kids imaginative, constructive, and healthy things to do."

     Dedloff is hoping people will come together once again, have some fun, and create something "bigger and better" to enhance the community - "and do something positive for our kids."