More than 60 volunteers gathered Thursday at Stan’s Park in Blue Island to build a new community and child-designed playground in six hours.

While construction on the playground, at 2235 Burr Oak Ave., officially began Tuesday, the volunteers built the majority of the equipment, spread mulch and painted the sidewalk as part of a nationwide effort by Foresters Financial and Kaboom! aiming to end playspace inequity.

Blue Island Treasurer Nancy Rita, who is also an administrator at Eisenhower High School, said she was excited to reunite with a few graduates who volunteered and work with area residents she had never met, children and city administrators.

“It was a really fun day,” Rita said. “To just talk and connect and have a common goal was really, it was awesome.”

The playground featur

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