Enough cash could be raised by Christmas to rebuild a playground destroyed by arson, a fundraising group said yesterday.

Pig’s Field Family Connections, set up after the attack on the Pembroke park in April, added that the new playground was the first step in an ambitious plan to improve the area.

Patrina O’Connor Paynter, the co-secretary of the group’s executive committee, said: “It’s not just about replacing a playground, it is about uniting a community.

“We are trying to uplift the whole field – this field is our treasure, it’s a staple of our community.

“We want people to understand the magnitude of what we are doing – we are raising funds and making sure we are doing everything correctly and ensuring that what we create can be maintained long after it is completed.”

The group has estimated that about $150,000 was needed to buy, import and set up new playground equipment.

Plans for the new-look playground include monkey bars, slides, tunnels and a climbing wall.

The committee asked area residents, including children who watched the playground go up in flames, what kind of playground they wanted.

The group said that the opening of the new playground depended on how long it took to get the equipment to Bermuda.

Rhydell Paynter, president of the committee, said: “We are in the process of engaging with Horsefield Landscaping, which was responsible for sourcing the playground and will install it once it arrives.

“With Covid and all the back up of shipping and trucking, we are anticipating that once the funds are raised we can have it here and installed within six months – it could be sooner but it is hard to say.”

Ms Paynter added: “The new playground has lots of features and is bigger and better than before.

“It can facilitate between 70 and 75 children. It is designed for kids aged from 5 to 12 and has wheelchair access. We have a separate swing set that is already here.”

The executive committee has also launched a Pig’s Field Family Connection logo competition which is open to the public.

The group has also applied for registered charity status.

It has a temporary fundraising licence and will need a logo if charity status is approved.

Ms O’Connor Paynter said: “We need the Pig’s Field Family Connection logo and branding to be in alignment with what we want to do – it is about community, families and working together.”

The deadline for the competition is November 12 and entries can be submitted to pigsfieldbermuda@gmail.com

Details can be found on the group’s Facebook page here.

The Pig’s Field Family Connection executives have worked closely with the North Village Trust, which funded the destroyed playground.

The Government, including the Department of Parks, is also involved in some aspects of the project.

The committee said more cash would be needed to pay for security measures, including lighting, cameras and fences, as well as amenities including bathrooms, seating and exercise equipment, after the playground was built

A community centre could also be constructed on the site.

To donate to Pig’s Field Family Connection, use Clarien Bank a/c 6000252584, Pig’s Field Restoration.