Excited chatter competed with the sound of hammers, saws, and heavy equipment at Middleburgh Elementary School starting on Oct. 4, 1989, and continued for five days straight. Late on the fifth day, the construction noise was replaced with cheering and the laughter of children breaking in the new Maze Craze playground. As Middleburgh Central School District begins planning for a new playground that meets modern-day standards, we reflect on the community spirit that brought the Maze Craze to life for generations of children to enjoy.
Jump to plans for the future elementary school playground.
“Great weather, great experience, great feeling. It was all wonderful,” -Leslie Hooper
Although the Maze Craze debuted that October, planning began almost a year earlier. Hooper, who serves as the president of the Middleburgh Alumni Association, recounts that it was clear from the start that the project would depend on the willingness of community members to roll up their sleeves and reach into their pockets. Hundreds of volunteers were needed and $60,000 had to be raised.
“Dennis Richards and Steve Coonradt led the project,” Hooper explained. “They gathered parents, school employees, community members and people from all over to discuss how to build a “Leathers Playground“ with donations and volunteers. Coonradt recalls, “Back then, all the space had was a big metal slide and a couple of swings.”
At the time, wooden maze playgrounds were a popular style. Local leaders visited existing playgrounds under construction and learned about a community construction model that had been successful around the country. Bolstered by that vision, a core planning group held monthly meetings to prepare for materials purchases, fundraising, volunteer recruitment, and publicity. Steve Coonradt still has the blueprints.
Although the prospect was daunting, the planning team had the guidance of some experienced and knowledgeable people.
“Two coordinators from Leathers and Associates guided the steps from design to build, to celebrating one of the biggest playgrounds they had ever helped create in such a small community,” recalled Hooper. According to Joanne Coonradt, Steve’s wife and another key player, before the Middleburgh build began, some committee members gained experience by helping on the construction of another Leather’s playground in Rotterdam, N.Y.
Five intense days of labor and love
Planners identified the week before Columbus Day, 1989 as the best window for building. Once the materials were procured, the building site became the center of activity in Middleburgh. Dozens of community members arrived eager to help with carpentry, shoveling, childcare and anything else that was asked of them. The excitement was contagious.
“People heard about it on the radio and stopped in – most stayed to work a shift,” Hooper said. “Volunteers came from 7 a.m. and stayed until 10 p.m, many taking vacation time or unpaid leave to participate.”
Volunteers got so caught up in the work that organizers started turning off the power station at 9 p.m. to get people to leave.
Two local institutions added to the community manpower.
“On day one, the Middleburgh Telephone Company brought trucks and men (at company expense) to drill holes and set poles,” Hooper explained. “They were aided by inmates from Camp Summit Minimum Security Corrections.” Joanne Coonradt added, “We brought our RV to the site. A man from the telephone company, who couldn’t work due to a broken leg, stayed in the RV overnight to guard the building site.”
She also recalls the moment an elderly woman came walking toward the site along Main Street. “She arrived with her own rake and began using it to smooth out the stones and filler.” Steve Coonradt can still picture some of the youngest volunteers. “Kids in kindergarten and first grade put soap on screws to make them go into the wood more easily,” he explained.
Joanne Coonradt remembers the project as a time when everyone counted on one another.
“Dennis Richards was a driving force; he’s a quiet man who gets things done,” she said, adding, “It was a magical time. Everybody in town got behind it. We even had babysitters stationed inside the school to watch the volunteers’ young children.”
With Mother Nature smiling on their efforts and fueled by tasty donations to the food tent, the group completed the Maze Craze in time for a grand opening on Sunday, Oct. 8, 1989. Hooper remembers that the the work was finished and the community gathered just before dark.
“Dennis Richards and Steve Coonradt made introductions and thanked all those who helped in any way. There was food for everyone, balloons for the kids, and the best smiles along with tears of pure joy for what was done,” She reminisced, “‘Everything had to be cleaned up, tools returned to their owners, and food tents taken down. There were handshakes and hugs over and over.”
Planning for a new generation of play
Over 35 years and countless hours of swinging, sliding, and imaginations run wild have passed. Still, much of the playground remains standing. Community leaders chose the Maze Craze well, considering the industry standards for the average lifespan of a playground is less than 30 years for metal construction, and closer to 15-20 for wood construction.* Credit goes to the buildings and maintenance team for performing regular inspections and making timely repairs to extend its lifespan.
Now the community must come together again to plan for a new playground.
John Youmans is the Middleburgh Central School District Director of Facilities. He’s also an alumnus with deep ties to the community, including serving as town supervisor of the Middleburgh Town Board. He’s committed to preserving the school’s history and architecture.
“For decades, the district has worked to keep the Maze Craze a safe and enjoyable experience for our students,” Youmans said. “It’s impressive that it has lasted this long. Unfortunately, it’s becoming harder and harder to find replacement parts to make repairs. We’ve already had to remove some sections that could not be replaced or repaired.”
At the same time, some of the remaining sections no longer meet current accessibility standards. For example, wheelchair accessibility is challenging.
Joanne Coonradt, who worked for many years as a school physical therapist, says they did factor in accessibility all those years ago, but there have been many innovations since then. “I would like something that is even more accessible than what we could do in 1989,” she said.
Even though remaining sections pass current safety inspections, insurance companies, using different metrics, look for modern design features when calculating rates. This makes it increasingly difficult and expensive to secure insurance for any older playground.
“No one wants to see a scenario where we push the Maze Craze to its limit, abruptly shut it down, and then have to wait months, possibly over a year, before students would have a new playground,” said Superintendent Mark Place.
To avoid that, a new space has been identified for the next elementary playground. It will be built behind the elementary school on the site of the former Little League field.
A new playground brings new possibilities.
“This is an opportunity to consider the diverse needs of our students in different ways,” said Place. “We will create a joyful, barrier-free experience. The new playground will not only meet current codes, it will be designed to support new generations of children.”
Again, community involvement, including from the very young, will be essential.
“Pending the approval of the Capital Project, families will have an opportunity to provide input via a survey which will go out on May 21,” Place shared. “Students in grades 1-6 will have an opportunity to share their thoughts with me directly during in-class visits during the first two weeks of June. Faculty will have an opportunity to share insights during an upcoming meeting.”
New York State Building Aid would cover approximately 80% of the cost with the rest to come from the capital reserve fund. This means the project would have no additional impact on the tax levy.
Discussions are already underway on how to commemorate the Maze Craze once it can no longer be a safe space for children to play.
“We need to remember the experience, celebrate the accomplishment, and (eventually) say goodbye to a much loved space,” concluded Hooper.
As is the Middleburgh way, community members are bringing ideas to the table. Suggested tributes have included creating a digital archive, constructing new playground benches from Maze Craze wood, commissioning a memorial plaque, or handing out pieces of wood as historical artifacts.
To contribute to a Maze Craze digital archive, upload photos use this Google form. All materials will be reviewed before being added to the archive.
All photos in this article are courtesy of Leslie Hooper.
*Estimates taken from sources such as AAA State of Play and Park N Play Design.
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