By DEBORAH GERTZ HUSAR

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

PITTSFIELD, Ill. -- From a distance, the playground equipment at South School looks fine. But up close, it's easy to spot where parts of the 19-year-old equipment needs to be repaired or replaced.

The cost of repairs and replacement parts could run into several thousand dollars and still leave the district with aging equipment.

"I don't think replacing parts is money well-spent," Superintendent Paula Hawley said.

Instead, Hawley and the School Board's building committee are looking at replacing the playground used by the school's 400 children for recess, physical education and as an outdoors classroom.

"It's showing its age," Hawley said. "It's still usable, still functional, but we're going to have to replace it."

Hawley hopes to see a new playground installed next summer, but how to pay for it still needs to be determined. "We're looking at the lease levy," she said.

Current obligations under the levy for roof, boiler, electrical and window work at South School and Pittsfield High School to boost energy efficiency will be repaid in summer 2011, so the district potentially could enter into a lease-purchase agreement, typically through a bank, for new playground equipment.

The next step involves talking with the district architect about handicapped accessibility issues with the playground and potential vendors, then moving into a bid process, Hawley said. Board members also plan to gather more information about playground equipment in November at the annual School Board convention.

-- dhusar@whig.com/221-3379