By MATT LINDSEY

POTSDAM -- North Country families could have four “natural element” playscape areas to play in and on next year downtown at Ives Park.

Rose Rivezzi, who is organizing the project, said there are some tweaks and concerns the village board mentioned including the concern over the noise level of one of the planned playscapes.

The planned musical play station, which could have included drums and other instruments, may be replaced with an area geared toward older children and adults.

“We didn't want to have to tell kids to be quiet,” Rivezzi said. “The park often hosts concerts and weddings and we did not want to interfere with those.”

A board member suggested an area with things like a pull up bar, sit up bar and activities for older kids and adults to broaden the overall appeal.

Stations will include a semi-circle stone/rock station with larger boulders that will promote the use of balance and agility.

Rivezzi said this area could possibly be used for seating during performances as well.

Another station would offer more natural elements including cedar logs at separate heights, to walk across,

There will also be a climbing station, which could include a small A-frame to climb as well as totem pole with notches for climbing.

“There are plans for a culvert for kids to climb through and a slide down the backside,” she said.

All of the play areas would be located on the southern end of Ives Park, away from where community events are often held, near the walking trail.

Rivezzi said another concern from the board was insurance, but she did not think it would be a major hold up in planning.

She says she will rely on donations and volunteers for the bulk of the project.

“I plan to approach local businesses,” she said.

Rivezzi said they will need top soil, mulch, stone, rocks, boulders and culverts to make the project happen.

Other fundraising efforts may be held to help pay for the playscapes, but until a final design is approved Rivezzi was hesitant to discuss too many financial aspects of the project.

“My mother in-law Kathryn Trithart, who died about a year ago, would always talk about a play area for kids at Ives Park,” Rivezzi said.

Rivezzi said that she and Trithart approached Potsdam Planning and Development Director Fred Hanss when Mrs. Trithart was still alive, and that there were already plans in the works for playscapes at the park.

Once Trithart passed away, Rivezzi said her family wanted to take over the project instead of waiting on grants, which can be time consuming.

Rizezzi approached Chazen Companies for an architectural design of the play areas. Once she had a basic plan, she took her idea to the village board.

“They were supportive of it,” she said.

The plan now is to take idea back to Chazen Companies and draw up an updated conceptual plan. She expects to present new information to the board before the end of summer so that everything is in place to hopefully begin the physical work next spring.

“I’ve heard lots of people comment that it would be nice for families to have a place for kids to have something to do at a park,” Rivezzi said. “I think this will be a nice place to congregate and have fun.”