Children from the St. Alphonsus Early Childhood Center in Davenport show their excitement for a new water play project.
By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
DAVENPORT — A grant will help children keep cool and enjoy being outdoors in the summer at St. Alphonsus Early Childhood Center.
The Scott County Regional Authority grant for $10,000 will help add water to the playground on the west side the building, said Shelly McIntosh, director of the center.
The grant request was for a larger amount, she noted, but due to funding limits, the center received a lesser amount. McIntosh said the money covers costs of water/plumbing installation so a hose does not have to run across the street as it does now. The new water hook up will allow the early childhood center to use a sprinkler or other recreational water device.
The early childhood center will contribute 10% of the cost for the project. In the future, with other grant funding or donations, the project could include picnic tables, benches, shade and security cameras. St. Alphonsus parishioner Bob Tappendorf began work on the project July 9.
“This addition is going to benefit our younger children who have been unable to enjoy water play (swimming pools) due to us not having a large enough grassy area,” McIntosh said. “It isn’t safe or allowed by our insurance company to have pools on asphalt or cement surfaces.”
She noted that older school-age children have the luxury of going to area swimming pools.
McIntosh said she appreciates the generosity of the Scott County Regional Authority to help with this project that will benefit the children at the center.
More from the Catholic Messenger
