Sherlock park playground rebuilding to run Sunday through Sept. 25

Four months after losing 75 percent of its structures to a fire, the Sherlock Forest Park playground will once again be whole.

Rebuilding efforts for the park, located in East Grand Forks, are set to begin Sept. 18.

Penny Pape, who is chairing the project with her daughter Katie Olson, said they are still looking for volunteers to assist with the construction. About 300 volunteers a day are needed to complete the project by Sept. 25.

Pape said she would like to see an abundance of volunteers, so attention can be given to tasks like painting trim.

"That's why it (the playground) looked so good before," she said. "We had a lot of people to work on the details."

Volunteers are needed to work Sept. 19-25, with work shifts of 8 a.m. to noon, 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to dark.

Those interested can preregister at www.egf.mn/sherlockforestplayground .

"Walk-ons are welcome, too," Pape said.

Those driving to their volunteer shift are asked to park in the lot north of the East Grand Forks fire station.

Organizations and businesses are also needed to serve food to volunteers. Two meals a day will be provided to volunteer workers.

Besides volunteers, Pape said they are still in need of tools to borrow for the project. Tools can be dropped off at the park from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Tools needed are metal-handle hammers, grounded outdoor extension cords, C-clamps, hand saws, 36-inch levels, rakes, rounded spade shovels, heavy-duty wheelbarrows and utility knives.

Twenty-five skilled carpenters are also needed to help set posts Sunday.

"The design company likes to have so many skilled people to run the power tools for each shift, so pre-registering can help fill those requirements," Pape said in August.

Some work will begin before Sunday, including the digging of 200 holes for posts in the park.

Both Pape and the playground consulting firm from Ithaca, N.Y., who crafted Sherlock's original ­design, are impressed with how much progress has been since the May 27 fire.

"It's amazing that this could all come together so quickly," she said.

Members of the firm noted that not every community can get enough volunteers to complete a project like East Grand Forks has Pape said.

She is confident the project will be a success like in 2004, when the original playground structure was built by 3,000 volunteers in six 12-hour days.

A public ribbon-cutting ceremony is set for Sept. 25, after the completion of construction. The last ribbon ceremony in 2004 had residents excited.

"Last time, we had kids running past us screaming," Pape said. She predicts a similar reaction to the park's re-opening this year.

Contact Penny Pape at (218) 773-7387 or (218) 791-5843 for general and carpentry information, Steve Larson at (218) 791-0227 for more information about tool dropoff, Terri Horpedahl at (218) 779-0428 for more information about volunteering, or Diane Mero at (218) 773-0261 for more information about serving food to volunteers.

To donate to the park's fund, visit the Community Foundation at www.gofoundation.org .

Reach Jewett at (701) 787-6736; (800) 477-6572, ext. 2736; or send email to bjewett@gfherald.com .