SUMMERDALE, Ala. — Students at Alabama Gulf Coast Christian Academy in Summerdale will be getting an early Christmas present when their new playground is completed by next week.

In the works for about eight months, equipment from Southern Playgrounds of Marietta, Georgia arrived on Thursday afternoon and school staff, parent and community volunteers were on hand to assemble it on Friday.

Through various fundraisers and a grant from the Snook Foundation, the school was able to completely pay for the $37,000 equipment that includes environmentally safe swings, sliders, seesaws, monkey bars and climbing walls, said Lester Smith, AGCCA Principal.

“We have been wanting to do this playground for a while to give the children more than just a swing set to play on. This equipment is so nice and will really be an asset to our school and to the students as well. The money also paid for the beams and chips as well and we are so thankful for the help we are receiving for this. Trawick Equipment and Foley Implement are offering their auger for us to use for free to dig the holes,” Smith said.

The equipment is green and gold, representing the school colors, and Regina Gresham of Southern Playgrounds, said they talked about and looked at several designs with Smith. “He was very concerned about getting something that would help the kids with fitness and exercise and would be environmentally friendly, “green” so to speak.”

Smith said they were also able to purchase SmartBoards for nine classrooms with the grant money. “These boards will make learning so much better for the students and we are so fortunate to get them.”