NRPA playground experts visit Sri Lanka.

In cooperation with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), members of NRPA and the National Playground Safety Institute (NPSI) visited the tsunami-ravaged country of Sri Lanka. The group went to assess sites, as well as provide expertise on how to build more than 100 playgrounds throughout the area.

The delegation was led by NRPA member Monty Christiansen, an internationally recognized playground expert and long-time member of the NRPA National Playground Safety Institute Executive Committee. With Christiansen are former NRPA President and NPSI Executive Committee member Ken Kutska, National Playground Contractors Association international representative Curtis Stoddard, and International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association representative Tom Norquist. In addition to scoping sites and lending general expertise, these members, along with others, will teach and train Sri Lankans to certify that the equipment is safe for the long term.

Plans for the Sri Lankan trip began when the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors partnered with NRPA to form the Loudoun County/NRPA Sri Lanka Mission Task Force. The original focus of the group was to raise funds to help recreation in Sri Lanka, but after working with USAID, Scott York, chairman of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, said he thought they could use NRPA's playground expertise.

"USAID has put together the funding and thus has called on our expertise, or really, NRPA's expertise to come over and help them to do this pilot project of putting up parks," he said.

The four NPSI members who went to Sri Lanka were anxious to get to work, especially when they saw photos of the area and its previous play equipment. "These playgrounds were pretty well wiped out by the tsunami, and so we've seen litter and debris that the children are still trying to play on," Christiansen said.

The NRPA-sponsored group flew to Sri Lanka May 7. While in the country, the group braved 100 degree-plus temperatures, and toured many sites.

According to Christiansen, the coastline devastation was terrible, with many Sri Lankans still living in tent cities or wooden shacks. The playgrounds, or "children's parks" as they are called there, normally consist of teeters, a single swing frame with wood seats and old metal climbing structures. All are in horrible shape, according to the delegation.

On May 12, they met with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, who signed a letter endorsing the playground construction project (see photo below). An announcement was also made that the Tsunami Relief Fund, headed by former presidents Bush and Clinton, had provided $1 million to the playground construction effort. The group then met with local manufacturers and builders to create a plan to rebuild.

Although the task before them will be hard work, all who are involved know what a momentous project this is for Loudoun County, NRPA and USAID, and what it will mean to the children of Sri Lanka. York said, "This is what I would say is the human spirit, the human mission--and that is to help people in need.