BY CINDY SCHROEDER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
TAYLOR MILL -- In a scene reminiscent of a 19th-century barn raising, volunteers will meet Oct. 3 to assemble playground equipment for Taylor Mill's first park.
By doing the labor themselves, the residents will save Taylor Mill about $7,000, said Dave House, president of the Cincinnati-based House Construction Services. His firm is handling the site development and will put up a balance beam, tether ball and swings for the playground.
"It's rolling right along, thanks to our volunteers," Taylor Mill Administrator Jill Cain said of the park project.
Bobby Garland, who lives in the nearby Taylor Creek Subdivision, organized the workers, after Ms. Cain mentioned the park project to him.
"Once I volunteered myself, I went around and talked to all of my neighbors, and they all offered to help," said Mr. Garland, a 40-year-old father of two.
In the case of Mr. Garland and his neighbors, the group had a history of working together.
Soon after Mr. Garland moved to Taylor Mill in March 1997, he offered to help his neighbors build decks as a way of getting to know them.
"I built my deck, and my other neighbors asked me, would I help them build their decks?" Mr. Garland said. "Buying a new home, a lot of people don't have a lot of money laying around to get a deck built."
As someone who had built decks in the past for pay, Mr. Garland saw the volunteer construction work "as kind of a good-neighbor gesture."
So when he recently approached those neighbors about assembling playground equipment for the new park, all were eager to help.
About 15 to 18 volunteers will meet at the site of Taylor Mill's unnamed park on Taylor Mill Road across from Carol Drive the morning of Oct. 3.
Under the supervision of Stapel Design Inc., which is providing the playground equipment, volunteers will spend the day assembling nine pieces of equipment -- everything from a spiral slide to a mirror bubble panel -- for children 8 and older.
Future plans also call for the construction of a playground for younger children, Ms. Cain said.
City officials expect to finish the park's initial phase by Dec. 20. It will include the first playground, grading, construction of a gateway entrance, development of part of a walking trail, 45 parking spaces, and the purchase of picnic tables, benches and trash cans, Ms. Cain said.
Taylor Mill residents and business people also are spearheading fund raising efforts for the park, which will be developed as the city can afford to do so, without a tax increase.
"I see this playground as a necessity," Mr. Garland said. "For the young children of Taylor Mill, there's nothing else to do here. This is something the community has needed for a long time."
How to help
To help assemble Taylor Mill's playground, call Bobby Garland at 491-4774.
