When Priorities Miss the Mark: How Pomfret Could Have Used ARPA Funds to Build a Better Playground for Our Kids

When Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), it gave towns across the country a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvest in their communities. These funds were meant to help towns recover from the pandemic — to rebuild public spaces, improve access, and make our towns stronger and healthier for everyone.

Here in Pomfret, those funds could have been used to address one of our most obvious and overdue needs: a safe, inclusive, and long-lasting playground for our children. It’s not widely known that Pomfret Community School has a unique designation and serves as the site of Pomfret’s only public playground.

Our Current Playground’s Shortcomings

Our town’s main playground has served generations of Pomfret families well — but time and wear have taken their toll. It’s now estimated to have less than five years of life left before it will need to be replaced. It’s also:

• Not fully accessible for students with mobility challenges.

• Lacking the strength and design to safely accommodate older elementary or middle school students.

• In need of modern updates to meet today’s safety and inclusion standards.

  
  

A new, universally accessible playground could have been a perfect use of ARPA funds — improving quality of life for families, promoting outdoor activity, and supporting mental and physical health in the aftermath of years of pandemic isolation.

What ARPA Funds Could Have Done

ARPA funds were intentionally flexible. Towns could use them for:

• Public health and community wellness projects.

• Outdoor recreation improvements.

• Investments in local infrastructure that directly benefit residents. Playgrounds, parks, and recreation areas fit squarely within those guidelines. Many towns across Connecticut did exactly that — revitalizing community spaces, building accessible play areas, and investing in family-friendly infrastructure.

Instead, Some of the Funds Went to the Pomfret Forest

Rather than using these funds to strengthen community access and engagement, Pomfret’s leadership chose to allocate funds to the Pomfret Forest — a location that, by its own easement, prohibits new construction.

That means while our children play on aging, limited equipment, those federal recovery dollars were directed toward a space that can’t legally host new amenities or community infrastructure. It’s a decision that raises important questions about priorities, planning, and transparency.

Our Kids — and Our Community — Deserve Better

Recreation spaces aren’t luxuries. They are essential pieces of community infrastructure — places where children grow, neighbors connect, and families find balance. When we overlook these needs, we miss opportunities to invest in our most important resource: our people.

Pomfret can and should do better when it comes to allocating funds that belong to all of us. Let’s make sure that the next opportunity — whether it’s through new grants, partnerships, or local budgeting — is used to build something that truly serves our entire community, from our youngest learners to our seniors who love to watch them play.