Storyteller Children’s Center, which provides early childhood education and much more to children living below the poverty line, has been struggling for months to obtain the city’s approval to install a toddler playground it procured with grant funding. Despite best intentions and efforts, its attempts to move forward have been stymied, and with the old, dated equipment demolished, the children are left with an empty playground.
When Storyteller removed the old playground equipment and began installing new play equipment last August at its 2115 State Street location, neighbors complained that the shade screen poles could be seen from behind the fence. A couple neighbors claimed the equipment needed to be more muted in color.
Even though the playground area is in the rear of its property, not visible from the street, Storyteller paused the work. Shortly thereafter, the city red-tagged the property and on September 12 posted a Stop Work Notice, which stated that the playground was being altered without a permit.