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We’re sure there’s a story out there that can jerk a tear quicker than a bunch of neighbors coming together to restore a dilapidated, needle-strewn playground as a community hub and playground for local children, we’re just not sure what it is.

OK, Slumdog Millionaire maybe. But that takes place in Mumbai, and this isn’t Mumbaihood, it’s Wallyhood, so we’re going to cover the Friends of McDonald School.

From their web site:

The McDonald School [at 144 North 54th St]…was an active elementary school from 1914 until 1981. It closed as elementary school in 1981 and is currently used as interim site for schools’ whose facilities are undergoing renovation…

There are an estimated 500 children in the East Green Lake neighborhood…For most of these kids, the McDonald School playfields are the only walkable recreation areas in the community…

The McDonald School playfields are in trouble. The site is regularly vandalized. Furniture, appliances, liquor bottles and used syringes for intravenous drug use have been dumped on the site.

The school’s play structures are shrinking. Pieces are removed after they have been worn out or been vandalized…Friends of McDonald School wants to change this.

Cue in the inspirational music. The group has received a $15,000 Small and Simple grant from the City of Seattle’s Dept of Neighborhoods and so are taking a “phased approach”. The first phase seems like a bit of a warm-up phase, consisting of repainting four-square lines, plus adding some benches, chess tables and planting some trees (we hope this won’t consume the full fifteen large). Future phases should involve playground improvements and maybe a new fence.

Should you wish to get involved, their second community workshop is being held tomorrow, Tuesday, February 24th from 7 – 8:15 pm at the Green Lake Elementary School Library, and they’ll be reviewing proposed styles and layouts for a new play structure and seating amenities. Details on the event web site.

Also, we’re totally not going to pick a fight with them for calling it “East Greenlake” when it’s quite clearly “Upper Wallingford”. Ask Wikipedia if you don’t believe us.