Napa, CA.

General coordinator Matt Eisenberg and his wife, Hillary Homzie, first encountered a Leathers’ playground in Philadelphia in the late 1990s. When the couple moved to Napa, they learned there were several Leathers’ projects in the area, including San Anselmo, Oakland and Pacifica. “When we saw the San Anselmo playground, we knew we needed one in Napa,” said Eisenberg.

 Playground Fantastico became a reality in the Spring of 2002, when 3,000 “young and old, Spanish, and English-speaking, skilled and unskilled joined together sawing wood and Trex for the Giant Live Oak Treehouse, banging nails for the Napa Village Playhouses, painting the Castle, raking wood fiber under the tire swing, tying rebar for the fish, iguana and Napa River wall, pouring concrete, setting tiles for the mosaic wall, augering holes to support the accessible swings, making and serving tremendous food,” and keeping 800 little ones entertained in childcare, according to Eisenberg.

 The playground includes two separate sections: one for children aged 2 to 5 (the Tot Lot), and one for children aged 5 to 12. The Tot Lot includes the Napa Village Playhouses and a dinosaur skeleton. The Napa River wall is built of concrete with a river running through it next to a large sandbox, which contains a concrete turtle. Hundreds of people contributed to the mosaic wall.

 A 59-year-old grandmother says it best: “I have carried lightweight lumber, tied rebar, troweled concrete, cemented mosaic tile and had more fun than I can remember. I have made new friends, worked with wonderful teens and laughed a lot. I have come home dirty and tired, but can’t wait to go back the next day. . . . What better feeling than to sit on a bench, watch your children play, explore, imagine while knowing that you personally helped to build that sandbox, climber or playhouse—that because of you the dream came true.”

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