LONGVIEW, Wash. -- Columbia Valley Gardens Elementary Parent-Teachers Association (PTA) and the Undercover 2000 Committee today announced a $5,000 gift from Bill and Melinda Gates to construct a unique play area for Columbia Valley Gardens Elementary School. The play area will be the first in the Columbia Valley community that is fully accessible by physically challenged children, and will be fully covered to provide shelter from Washington's weather conditions.
"Our dream at Columbia Valley Gardens for the last five years has been to improve our playground by constructing an undercover play area that is fully handicap-accessible," said Roxanne Stewart, principal at Columbia Valley Gardens Elementary School. "The William H. Gates Foundation grant of $5,000 will help bring us closer to making this dream a reality."
Darlene Almer, president-elect of Columbia Valley Gardens, said, "Our PTA has worked extremely hard to raise the necessary funding for our covered playground and handicap-accessible play area because we believe in providing our children with the services that they need. With this gift, we are now able to move forward with this project and give the children with special needs the equipment they deserve."
"Bill and Melinda are thrilled to support such an important project for the Columbia Valley Gardens Elementary School. It's important that all children have equal access to everything our schools have to offer, whether it be learning or recreational tools," said Bill Gates, Sr., director of the William H. Gates Foundation.
The play area will be a dome-shaped structure that is fully accessible by wheelchairs. In addition to having ramps and lower handrails, the new facility will allow children to move from one station to another while being protected from the harsh weather elements so common throughout much of the school year. The play area will also be accessible to the entire community for special events and community functions. Construction is slated for the start of the 1999-2000 school year.