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Due to funding cuts, the Juneau School District consolidated several schools, including folding its two middle schools (Floyd Dryden Middle School and Dzantik'iHeeni Middle School) into one middle school located at the former Thunder Mountain High School and re-located the Montessori School and the Charter School to Dzantik'iHeeni School. As a middle school, there was no need for a playground at Dzantik'iHeeni School. Now however, younger children are attending a school without a playground. In addition, the playground would serve local neighborhoods, some of which are socio-economically disadvantaged, and could benefit most from a playground in walking distance in the area where no other playground structures currently exist.
The Juneau Rotary Clubs have a history of securing funding for and installing playgrounds at Riverbend Elementary School and Auke Bay Elementary School. The City and Borough of Juneau will provide funding for site preparation and the Juneau Rotary quad-clubs (Juneau Rotary Club, Juneau-Gastineau Rotary Club, Glacier Valley Rotary Club and the Juneau 58 Innovators Rotary Club) will coordinate funding, equipment purchase and installation.
The Juneau Rotary Club will be the lead entity for this project and has designated a spokesperson (Andy Mills) to coordinate activities with the City and Borough of Juneau. The Rotary Club of Juneau, Juneau-Gastineau Club Rotary Club and the Glacier Valley Club have each pledged to contribute $5,000 for the project. The 58 Innovators are unable to contribute any monetary resources but will help with installation.
Based on past history and rising costs, it's estimated the project will cost between $200,000-250,000. A number of viable funding sources have been identified including but not limited to past contributors such as Hecla Greens Creek, the PTA, the school and local businesses; the Juneau Community Foundation; and SEAFOAM (Montessori non-profit)
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