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Recycled playground opens at youth center

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Katherine M. Windish
  • 11th Wing Public Affairs
AIR FORCE DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON --  Children whose parents work and live on Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C., have a brand new recreational area to play on, made of recycled tires and 28,330 recycled milk jugs. 

The playground, which officially opened June 2, is located inside a fenced portion of the youth center and offers a range of equipment including three different slides, monkey bars, toy telephone, tic-tac-toe board and a large steering wheel, allowing the children an opportunity to use their imaginations. 

"Our goal is to help create good citizens," said Darrilyn Young, Family Member Program flight chief. "By going green, we're setting a good example. We're enabling them to take the baton." 

The playground made entirely of recycled materials as part of the Bolling Family Member Program's campaign to teach children about environmental awareness. 

"We're not only setting a good example for the children by being environmentally friendly, we're also saving the government a lot of money," said Senior Airman Calvin Ishee, 11th Contracting Squadron, contract administrator for the playground. "We got $60,000 worth of equipment for only $47,000. It was a really great project to work on because it was so unique. It really was a blast." 

It was just as fun to play on. 

"That was awesome," said Malik Myers, 10-year-old son of Tech. Sgt. Horace and Elainea Myers who attends the youth center's after school program, after testing out the new equipment. 

The project began in October and was completed March 1 with a total cost of $47,233. 

"We don't base our decision solely on the cost," said Airman Ishee. "We base it on the quality, safety and benefit of the product. It's a small price to pay for the benefit to the community."