By CHRISSY PRICHARD

Express News Staff

The Town of Webb Board heard a presentation at its meeting on Monday, Aug. 6, about the plans to install new playground equipment at the Old Forge lakefront. Town of Webb Recreation Director Holly Armendola made the presentation.

Armendola, with the assistance of CAP-21, recently secured a $9,303 grant from the Herkimer County Health-Net Wellness Committee, that will pay for the playground and associated installation costs.

The playground, designed in the shape of a pirate ship, carries a nautical theme. It is approximately 25 feet long, eight feet wide, and 14 feet high at the top of the ship’s mast. Included as part of the ship are two swings, a canopy, a rock wall, a ship wheel, a 10 foot slide, a gang plank, fireman’s pole, and trapeze bars. The structure is primarily wooden and can be installed directly on the sand at the town’s municipal beach.

Armendola and the members of the board visited the beach during the meeting to go over the location of the new equipment. The playground will be installed on the beach, adjacent to the tennis courts and TOBIE path. Fencing and gates will be reconfigured to allow access from both the beach and the lakefront. Beach patrons will have access directly from the beach when it is open. When the beach closes, the playground can be accessed from the lakefront.

The swings that are currently at the beach will be relocated closer to the pirate ship as well.

The playground is being purchased from North Country Storage Barns at a cost of $4,932.85. The remainder of the grant funding will cover the costs of new fencing and gates as well as any site preparation and installation costs.

The playground equipment is expected to be delivered as soon as this week, with installation taking place over the next couple weeks.