On Friday afternoon, neighborhood children frolicked on the new$70,000 playground at Haines School in New Lenox that was completedjust that day.
By that night, the playground was aflame, its largest piece ofequipment melted into an indistinguishable mess of color.
"This was not just a case of vandalism, this is a case of arson,"Haines Principal Jackie Miller said.
The playground replaced equipment that was the oldest in thedistrict, Miller said. Students at the first- through third-gradeschool were so excited about the new equipment, they ran a lemonadestand at the end of last school year to buy jump ropes, balls andgames.
"We were so excited to start the new year with a new playground,"Miller said. "It was something that the whole community was lookingforward to."
The largest piece of equipment -- which included ladders andslides -- was destroyed. Other equipment, such as swings and smallerslides, were far enough away from the fire that they aresalvageable, Miller said.
The fire started about 11 p.m. Friday, just hours after crewsfinished installing mulch and other finishing touches in time forthe first day of school today.
Miller said the fire department indicated to her that anaccelerant had been used.
Police Chief Dan Martin said that the cause of the fire is stillunder investigation but that it was "suspicious in nature." Martinsaid a neighbor indicated several youths were at the park earlier inthe night.
The playground took eight months to build. It's unknown how longit will take to replace the damaged equipment.
Teachers were working on an alternate plan for recess, Millersaid. "We've got a creative team, and we're going to figuresomething out," she said.
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