A new playground located in front of the Susan Wilbur Early Education Center offers lots for kids to explore.
It took a couple of years of planning, teamwork, and construction, but now, this Swinomish construction project is all fun and games.
A new state-of-the-art children’s playground, located in front of the Susan Wilbur Early Education Center (SWEEC), was formally dedicated on May 8.
And, for much of the bright, sunny afternoon, tribal youth had fun trying out the various equipment in the playground developed by Highline Construction.
Swinomish Senator Brian Porter and Janie Beasley, the 2025 La Conner High Outstanding Alumnus and a Swinomish representative on the La Conner Community News interim board, each stressed the importance of meeting the needs of tribal youth and elders.
“I go by what the late Jimi Sam always said,” Porter noted. “He believed that if you take care of the kids and take care of the elders, everybody in between will be okay.”
Beasley recalled her younger sister, the late Susan Wilbur, for whom the tribal early education center is named, prioritizing youth and elder services.
“Susan always said that was very important to her,” reflected Beasley.
Master carver Kevin Paul fashioned the symbolic totem poles that adorn the playground’s pavilion.
“We now have an amazing collection of his work all in one place,” said Swinomish Education Director Loran James.
Paul said he has one more icon in the works for the pavilion — a sunray — will be placed between a set of salmon mounted just below the structure’s roof line.
Loran James gave a shout-out to his nephew, Wil James, of the Swinomish Planning Department. “This was Wil’s first project with the Tribe that he worked on from start to finish.”
SWEEC Director Erin Smead said she was thankful that conditions were ideal for an outdoor celebration.
In fact, only the smiles sported by the children at the playground were sunnier than the day’s weather.
Bill Reynolds: bill@laconnercommunitynews.org. Bill is a general assignment reporter who covers Town government, schools, and spot news.
