A new playground several years in the making is taking shape in downtown Palmerton.

Volunteers, including S.S. Palmer Elementary administrators, teachers and parents, spent Sunday morning helping install new equipment at the Coal Bowl, adjacent to the school along Fourth Street.

Palmerton Area School District’s board of directors approved the purchase of playground equipment in August 2021 from Recreation Resource USA at a price of $26,072.

“We had some equipment that went through the test of time,” S.S. Palmer Principal Ralph Andrews said in between tightening a few bolts. “It had been close to 30 years since that previous playground was installed. Safety is always a concern and we wanted to give the kids something more up to date with the times.”

A large chunk of the financing came from a PTO donation. The PTO raised $16,500, leaving the district’s portion at just over $9,500. PTO members have also been donating their time to help install the new metal and fiberglass equipment, which is replacing a wooden structure.

“The playground set doesn’t even get here without thousands of volunteer hours and fundraising from our PTO,” Andrews said. “Former Principal Mary Brumbach played an instrumental role as well in getting this off the ground. A lot of people and businesses donated indirectly or directly, including neighboring Pencor Services here, and we’re very thankful for them all.”

Lee Costenbader Jr. of Costenbader Excavating offered his services pro bono to help make the playground a reality.

“We dug out the posts for the playground and put the concrete in,” Costenbader said. “I think it’s good to give back to your community. These projects only get done when a lot of people come together and help, and a lot of kids in Palmerton are going to benefit from this. We’ve been down here just about every night after work this week. I’m thankful for everybody that is here. It’s going to look great.”

PTO members volunteered to install the equipment to help keep the project cost down, but Andrews said none of that could be accomplished without Costenbader’s help.

“We asked Lee to come set a few poles, but once we got into the meat and bones, it became a lot more than that,” Andrews said. “He’s been exceptional. He and his crew really stepped up.”

When students return in the fall, he added, the smiles, laughs and friendships formed on the new playground will all be worth it.

“The kids will lose their minds,” Andrews said. “It will be tough to navigate those first couple of recesses. Everyone will want their turn and want to test it out. It will be exciting and a great moment for our PTO and our school to see those reactions.”