By CHRISSY PRICHARD

Express News Staff

A pirate ship landed on the municipal beach in Old Forge on Friday, Sept. 14. The play structure was placed on the sand and will be open for use in a couple weeks, according to Town of Webb Recreation Director Holly Armendola. First the fencing that surrounds the beach needs to be reconfigured to allow access to the play structure from outside the beach when the beach is closed.

The finished space will include the pirate ship, benches and picnic tables, as well as a set of swings that will be moved form their current location on the beach.

Armendola said that creating a playground at the beach and lakefront area has been an important goal of her’s ever since she took over the recreation department six years ago. She is thrilled to see it finally coming together.

“I’m so excited,” she said as the ship was being unloaded. “I feel like a little kid on Christmas morning.”

The structure, built of pressure-treated yellow pine, was purchased from North Country Storage Bars out of Philadelphia, N.Y. They built the ship, then delivered, installed, and assembled it. It is about 24 feet long, eight feet wide, and 14 feet tall.

Armendola, with the assistance of CAP-21, recently secured a $9,303 grant from the Herkimer County HealthNet Wellness Committee, that covered the cost the playground and associated installation costs, as well as the work that needs to be done on the fencing and the addition of benches and tables.

Armendola hopes to focus on the playground at the North Street Recreation Area next. She says she has a $15,000 grant through Senator Seward lined up, and as soon as the funds are disbursed, she will be looking into improvements that can be made there.