Tatum Elementary playground upgrade 60 years overdue
Denise Marquez/News-Sun
Tatum Elementary students braved the cold weather Thursday morning to attend a groundbreaking and ribbon cutting ceremony for a new playground.
When Tatum Elementary Principal Robn Hogue cut the ribbon during the ceremony the Tatum Elementary jumped and cheered. Several students were given shovels and were asked to break ground on the new playground project that is being completed by Hobbs-based Lasco Construction.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a brand-new playground,” Hogue said. “It’s been three years in the making. Other schools’ kind of update their playgrounds a lot faster but it’s probably a $1 million project that has to go through a lot of red tape and a lot of requirements everything has to be just right. Our school board has been working really hard to make sure that we get what we need and everything is up to date and like it’s supposed to be. They were able to finally find the funding so here we are.”
Tatum’s newly elected Mayor Isabella Salazar presented Hogue with the key to the city on behalf of the Tatum Chamber of Commerce. Salazar said is excited for the students to get a new playground and for positive growth for the community.
“I’m just super excited,” she said. “I graduated from Tatum Schools in 2011 and I remember this playground when I was a little girl so it’s exciting to see the new generation getting a playground because when I was in school this was my new playground. How exciting that you all get to play in a new playground.”
Tatum Municipal Schools Superintendent Gaylon Selman said it was time for a new playground for the school, especially with some of the playground equipment being about 60 years old.
Anytime you get something new it’s exciting,” Selman said. “The playground equipment here some of it is 60 years old so it’s definitely time. The kids are going to get some new kind of the state-of-the-art playground equipment so we’re excited.”
“It’s all going to be (ADA) compliant with the wheelchairs and everything like that,” he added. “With new walkways and new surfaces. It’s going to be like an AstroTurf surface and canopies; it’s going to be really nice.”
Hogue said the students helped pick out some of the new playground equipment that is being installed.
“I was walking through the library one day and the fifth graders were in there and I had all the catalogues,” she said. “They were curious about why and I said, ‘I’ll tell you what, you guys help me pick out the equipment.’ So, they went through the catalogues and marked the ones they liked the best. They had input on it and they’ve seen all the drawings and the mock ups of what it’s going to be like. They could not be more excited. I’m excited for them.”
Hogue said he does not know exactly when the playground will be completed but he is hoping it will be done in the spring.
“They’re just starting today and they’re making a lot of progress,” he said. “It looks like they are already tearing it down. Hopefully by the spring we’ll have it all done but I don’t know for sure.”
