Hockey is literally larger than life in Columbus.
Thanks to a grant from the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation, the second hockey-themed playground was built last Friday at Westgate Park in partnership with Columbus Recreation and Parks, Ohio Parks and Recreation Association (OPRA) and Playworld Midstates.
"We had so much fun last year," said Greg Kirstein, Blue Jackets senior vice president and interim director for the foundation. "We work very well with the City of Columbus and the Ohio Department of Parks and Recreation and we thought we helped a lot of kids on the east side last year time to help kids out on the west side."
The help the Jackets provided went above and beyond the granted funds. Jackets employees, executives and players were part of the 125 volunteers that participated in the day-long build.
Goaltender Curtis McElhinney was impressed by the project.
"It's certainly unique, they've put a lot of nice hockey touches on it," McElhinney said. "And to know you're doing even a little bit of work to help feels great."
This year's playground joins the facility built last year at Columbus' Krumm Park as the only two hockey-themed playgrounds in the nation. The playground at Westgate includes an expanded design compared to last year's.
"This playground is a bit more elaborate for the kids and has more of a hockey theme," Kirstein said. "We want to keep making it nicer and nicer in different corners of the city."
But while building two-story-tall hockey sticks is no small task, maintaining them is an equally important priority to the team involved.
Tony Collins, a volunteer with the OPRA, explained that the Recreation and Parks team inspects these playgrounds on a regular basis.
"They make sure the mulch is good, and fix any parts that might need fixed," Collins said. "The team has a phenomenal staff."
Blake Hobson is managing partner for Playworld Midstates. His company designed and manufactured both hockey-themed playgrounds. He has been pleased with the upkeep of the new playgrounds by the city and the community.
"(The Krumm playground) is holding up great," Hobson said. "It meant something to the community. We've not had any issues at all."
The Blue Jackets' presence is also still firmly in place according to Kirstein.
"Over the past 12 months, people have added even more equipment and it's drawn more kids," Kirstein said. "The equipment is still in great shape and still has the Blue Jackets feel."
For Jackets forward Mark Letestu, who participated in both park builds, hearing that these hockey-themed facilities are catching on is exciting.
"Building a second one means the first one went over well and that it means a lot to our community," Letestu said.
With a second hockey themed playground built, there is talk of a third and Hobson believes there are few better partners to tackle these projects than the Blue Jackets.
"We rarely get to work with people where it matters to do the work," Hobson said. "Working with the Blue Jackets has been so much fun, they don't just give the money, they want to build it. It's wonderful to see them want to give back to the community."
And if seeing large hockey sticks makes a child get more interested in hockey, the Blue Jackets consider that a bonus.
"If we can put a plastic hockey stick in a kids hands and they can play in their tennis shoes, they may want to go to a hockey game and eventually put on skates," Kirstein said. "If we get you interested in the game, and if we get you to Nationwide Arena with the speed and passion of the game you'll be back."
