A Last Blast Of Summer Fun

Wearing sun-kissed cheeks and bathing suits, children filled the Treadwell Park playground and pool last week. Soaking in the last lazy August days of their summer break before the 2012-13 school year began in Newtown on August 28, clusters of friends were playing in the pool, slurping melting ice cream, or racing for the swings.

On the play equipment were Sarah Kirkman and Ilse Popovic, where they ran through the maze of tunnels to emerge on a platform. They could take the steep slope down or test their strength using a pole to get back on the ground. Ilse’s father Vlad play-chased the girls through the walkways and slides. Soon his daughter was zipping across the space toward the swings. Silhouetted there by an early evening sun was Scarlet Long, already breezing to and fro.

Nina Furrier held her dripping frozen cone while grabbing a drink from a water fountain. Glancing through the fence surrounding the pool she saw her friend Erica Palmieri. Soon the two girls — about to enter the fourth grade at St Rose School — were dancing and jumping on the sidewalk.

Several yards away beneath the pavilion, older boys lined up to receive their football jerseys for the upcoming season. Mark Hall and Will Stenz were both eager to find their sports gear.