NEWS

Children in the city of Ruston have new playground equipment thanks in part to members of Louisiana Tech’s Engineering and Science Association.

The student organization, led by President Will Long and faculty advisor Dr. David Hall, worked with Ruston’s Department of Parks and Recreation to put together a composite playground system at Duncan Park at the corner of Arlington and Vaughn.

“It’s a real benefit when we can work with groups like this,” said Ed Crawford, Parks Supervisor. Crawford said it could have cost his department upwards of $6,000 to hire a playground company to put the set together.

The equipment, designed for children ages 5-12, was placed on a 40 by 40 slab of concrete. While it took the ESA students three days to put it together, Crawford says it could have taken his small department several weeks to get it assembled.

This is not the first time ESA students have helped out RPAR. They have also helped assemble playground sets at other parks throughout the city. A large group of engineering students, former students and faculty worked together to complete the playground, with work crews led by Beau Downy, Allie DeLeo, Akano Ridwan, Nick Beard, Chris Beard and Dr. Mark Barker.

Written by Catherine Fraser