Press Release June 19, 2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ithaca, NY – (June 5, 2002) Leathers & Associates Rebuilds 1st Playground.

Leathers & Associates is rebuilding its very first playground more than 30 years later. In 1971, Bob Leathers began his community-built career by organizing a playground build at his children’s elementary school in Ithaca, New York. The school’s children were his clients. With the help of their parents, they created a magical structure. The news of the project’s success quickly traveled to nearby community groups, who were soon asking for Bob’s firm to help them create playgrounds. The rest is history! Since then, the firm has worked on more than 1,600 projects throughout all 50 states and 4 other countries.

The Henry St. John Elementary School (at the corner of Clinton and Geneva in Ithaca) is now the Henry St. John Building and is composed of a combination of offices and housing units. A portion of the original playground—still in use—will be removed prior to the start of construction of the new playground. Marc Leathers, president of Leathers & Associates, and one of three of Bob’s children who attended the school, will lead the effort. Marc has worked with the firm since he was a teenager and had the opportunity to work on a community-built playground at his own children’s school in June 2000.

From June 28 through June 30 (8 a.m. to 6 p.m.), the staff of Leathers & Associates will work with Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services (INHS), the Rotary Club, and volunteers from the local community to build the playground, with the opening celebration scheduled for Sunday evening, June 30.

The process and materials have naturally evolved over the years. Leathers’ designs and the quality of materials and workmanship meet or exceed all federal guidelines for playground safety. The new playground will be constructed of a plastic composite for nearly all contact areas and arsenic-free lumber for structural support with an engineered wood fiber groundcover. The following long-time suppliers to Leathers’ projects are donating material for the construction of this very special playground:

  • lumber (Denney Lumber of St. Louis, MO)
  • plastic composite (Trex Company of Winchester, VA)
  • groundcover (Fibar Systems of Armonk, NY)
  • slide (Parkitects of Lansing, NY)
  • equipment (Superior International Industries of Carrollton, GA)
  • hardware and fire pole (Darquest Industries of Grand Rapids, MI)
  • sealer (PSM of El Sobrante, CA)

Local companies and volunteers will donate their time and the use of their tools and equipment. Lunch will be provided on the site on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (June 28-30). Please call Ken Packman at INHS (607-277-4500) to volunteer. For more information on the playground, contact Marc Leathers (607-277-1650).

Leathers & Associates
99 Eastlake Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
Voice 607-277-1650
Fax 607-277-1433


Ithaca, NY – (June 19, 2002)