1,500 Volunteers Rebuild Alpharetta's Wacky World Playground

Power saws hummed and jackhammers rumbled as lawyers, doctors, and salespeople transformed into construction workers for a cause they believed in.

Over six days in March, 1,500 Alpharetta residents rebuilt their community's iconic Wacky World playground at Wills Park. The original playground, constructed by volunteers in 1997, had reached the end of its lifespan after nearly three decades of service.

The $2 million project was part of a larger parks bond approved by voters in 2021. About $500,000 came from donations, and while volunteer labor provided cost savings, city officials say the real value was something you can't measure in dollars.

"The sense of community is hard to put a price tag on," said Morgan Rodgers, director of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Services. "It's priceless."

The transformation happened remarkably fast. Where there were only holes in the ground seven days before opening, volunteers installed rubber surfaces, sunshades, and elaborate play structures. Residents ages 21 and up sorted themselves into skilled and unskilled worker categories, with everyone finding a way to contribute.

Best friends Kori Fortman and Kelley Janzen spent their morning drilling screws into a tower. Both are self-taught renovators who tackle ambitious home projects, and both have young children who will use the playground for years to come.

"If you're going to participate in the fun afterwards, then you might as well participate in the work," Fortman explained.

Even 80-something Bonnie Steadman, who uses a walker, worked four days at the tool tent. She remembered bringing her own sons to the original Wacky World decades ago.

The Ripple Effect

The rebuild created more than just a playground. It forged connections between neighbors who might never have met otherwise. Rodgers imagines volunteers running into each other years from now and reminiscing about the board they held or the screws they drilled together.

Lee Archin, owner of Play by Design who oversaw the project, said the enthusiasm reminded him why community builds matter. "There was history created here 20 some years ago," he said. "People still talk about that like it was yesterday."

The new Wacky World represents an increasingly rare achievement: a community that chose to build something together rather than simply pay someone else to do it. In an age of increasing isolation, 1,500 people proved that connection still matters more than convenience.

Those shared memories will outlast the playground itself.