Fox River Grove village, school district donate old playground to school in Thailand

Old parts from a playground torn down in Fox River Grove have been used to create a new playground in Thailand, more than 8,000 miles away from the village.

In 2019, the village partnered with Fox River Grove School District 3 to install a “state-of-the-art” playground and fitness area at Stanger Park, by Algonquin Road School, in late 2019 to replace an old one.

Construction began in June 2019 and finished right before the start of the 2019-20 school year. The project cost about $250,000 with the school district and village splitting the cost about 50-50.

In addition, the parks commission held a fundraiser that helped raise money for the park.

Then, with the help of a nonprofit organization called “Kids Around the World,” which disassembles and refurbishes used playground equipment, the village donated the old playground to be used in an underprivileged community in another country.

Now, about 100 students at a school in Chiang Mai, Thailand, will be able to play at a playground created with parts children in Fox River Grove used just a couple of years ago.

The old playground equipment sent to Thailand still was usable and in good shape, Village Administrator Derek Soderholm said.

“The community seems to enjoy the idea,” said Soderholm, who said the idea got praise on social media. “I think it was well-received by the Fox River Grove community for sure.”

Fox River Grove isn’t planning any other playground replacements anytime soon, Soderholm said, but if the opportunity arises in the future, the village hopes to participate in the donation effort again.