BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — The Dunham School hopes to finish a $650,000 playground project for the lower school by August.

School officials broke ground on the construction project on Wednesday, March 29. The new playground will feature new equipment, a large sportsplex, turf fields, multiple shaded zones and a sensory area, according to a news release.

“We eagerly anticipate the lower school playground renovation because it will enhance our ability to educate the whole child, not only academically, but physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually,” said Dunham Lower School Head Deedra LaPlace.

The new playground is part of the school’s 15-year campus master plan, school officials said.

According to the master plan, the new playground, in addition to the features listed above, will also have artificial turf, padded areas around equipment, refurbished sports courts and updated fencing. Other projects outlined in the plan include practice field and stadium upgrades, science center renovations and dining hall and middle school gym expansions.

“These new and innovative play spaces will encourage children to exercise their minds, bodies, and imaginations,” said LaPlace. “The playground plan includes inventive concepts, custom designs, and revolutionary products and equipment that make outdoor play educationally relevant, engaging, and fun!”

The school said the playground project’s construction was possible after a gift from Kim and Mike Wampold.

“Kim and I are very excited about this project, but I don’t think we are nearly as excited as our children, Mik and Alder Rose. We look forward to witnessing not only our kids, but many others enjoying this playground for years to come and are glad to be a part of Dunham’s continued growth and expansion,” said Wampold.

Current and former board members, school officials, representatives from Pelican Playgrounds and ForeverLawn Gulf South, lower school students and staff were at the Wednesday groundbreaking, a news release said.

“As a board, we have been preparing and planning for this,” said Gremillion. “Hopefully, this playground will be the first of many projects completed as part of our strategic plan.”

The Dunham School is located at 11111 Roy Emerson Drive in Baton Rouge.