Goffstown’s playgrounds are sorely lacking and, apparently, vandalism at one of the parks – Roy Park – may be one reason no one in town wants to bother pursuing any improvements there.

What a shame that is. While we understand local police cannot be everywhere all the time, and that it’s difficult, if not impossible, to catch vandals in the act, it’s a disgrace to allow a few juvenile delinquents to dissuade parks and recreation commissioners and perhaps even local volunteers from making improvements for the betterment of Goffstown.

Space is also an issue, points out Parks and Recreation Director Dave French, as there’s not a lot of room remaining at Goffstown’s existing parks in which to create more expansive playgrounds. As a result, it may make more sense to find a new, larger location for a park, probably in the Grasmere area near Mountain View Middle School, he says.

If that’s the case, then let’s start looking for an appropriate piece of land. Officials need to place a priority on Goffstown’s children – and there are many of them. The town has grown a lot over the past few years; families with children reside in every area of town, from Pinardville – where Roy Park is located – to the Village to Grasmere.

Several parents are complaining that Goffstown doesn’t offer nice parks for their kids, despite the addition of some new equipment at Barnard Park. They say it still pales in comparison to playgrounds in neighboring communities, such as Weare, where they must travel to find a brand-new, clean playground with state-of-the-art equipment.

Volunteers in Weare and Pembroke came together last year and organized projects that resulted in beautiful new playgrounds installed in those towns in the spring. Well-planned fundraising over the course of a year can net big results, as it did in these communities.

A joint effort from volunteers and the town of Goffstown can and should be made to create safe and fun play areas for local children.

We’d love to see such an effort begin soon and result in new parks for the summer of 2006.

If you’d like to see such a project and/or would like to help it come to fruition, contact the Goffstown Parks and Recreation Department or local selectmen.

Editorials published by Neighborhood News Inc. are written by an editorial board. The board is composed of Publisher and President Amy J. Vellucci, Executive Editor Ginger Kozlowski and Managing Editor Christine Heiser.

To the Editor:
A charter school in Goffstown? Why?

New Heights Charter Academy is a public charter school that will enhance existing educational opportunities for students in Goffstown, New Boston and Dunbarton, beginning in January 2006.

Working with the local school district, parents, teachers and community members have designed New Heights to provide juniors and seniors with project-based learning opportunities in business, technology and entrepreneurship.

Come find out what New Heights is all about and if it’s right for your child! There will be two community forums held to share information on Aug. 18 and 23, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Goffstown High School’s information center.

Come meet with us and other members of the New Heights Design Team and learn more about New Heights, project-based learning and eLearning.

For more information, please visit our Web site.
Ray Dumais
Jeanne Roy
John Webb members of the
original design team and
faculty at Goffstown High School