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Play (near) ball: Playground installed at Hancock Little League field

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Hancock Department of Public Works Supervisor Bill Marlor and Juan Bradford assemble playground equipment at the Hancock Driving Park Friday.

HANCOCK — The younger siblings of Little Leaguers will have their own space for fun during games thanks to the new playground being assembled at the Hancock Driving Park Friday and today.

The city’s recreation millage provided the roughly $30,000 needed. Other new playgrounds built through the millage have popped up in Terrace Park, Third Street Park and Montezuma Park. The city campground will get its own next year.

Department of Public Works members helped with the installation Friday, as did Juan and Lisa Bradford, representatives from the company that provided the playground equipment.

“It looks like it should be simple, but it’s complicated, and everything has to be just so in order for it to be put together,” said Deb Mann, chair of the city’s recreation committee. “We want it to last for a long time, so we don’t have to worry about it.”

Still left to do Saturday is assembling the roof and digging holes for the monkey bars and slide.

Mann is excited to see the finished project.

“It really adds a lot to the community,” she said. “And they’re beautiful.”

Next to the playset built Friday was a large pile of wood chips, which will be spread underneath Saturday to protect any falling children.

Mann was disappointed by the lack of volunteers Friday, which she said might be due to people still be at work. Anyone interested in helping can meet at 8 a.m. at the Little League field at the Hancock Driving Park. People can access the site through the vendors entrance behind the Houghton County Arena.

Work should continue until about 2 p.m., Mann said.

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