T-L Photos/ADAM TYCHONSKI Members of the Buckeye Local football team await delivery of new playground equipment. They volunteered their time to help build the playground for students who attend Buckeye North Elementary School.

BRILLIANT — After three and a half years of fundraising efforts, Buckeye North Elementary has a new playground.

Dozens of volunteers, including the Buckeye Local football team, the Brilliant Lions Club and school staff worked on erecting the new playground Tuesday and Wednesday. The playground project cost about $20,000, which reflects about $12,000 in savings thanks to volunteer work and donations made by the community.

“The community really stepped in to help fund this project,” said Susan Nolan, Buckeye North Elementary Principal. “We even had donations from Weirton Lumber, Lowes of Wheeling and J Schultz Excavating.”

The new playground will allow students to walk right out of the school into a fenced in area, instead of having to walk across the alley behind the school and over to the old playground. Nolan said the school has used the old playground for years but that it was beginning to fall apart and break.

The new playground, which was purchased from Playworld Midstates, consists of one large piece that sits 24 feet by 32 feet and one, four-swing swing set. Nolan said the school will have room for additional pieces later on, but for now the kids can play kickball or run around near the swing set and have plenty of room.

Nolan said the new playground will be ready for the upcoming school year. The school is holding an open house and dedication at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 17 and will hold a raffle to choose the first 30 kids to play on the new equipment.