Philanthropist to replace George Mason Elementary’s playground

Thanks to a local philanthropist, George Mason Elementary School is getting a new playground.

Two days after the school's showplace piece of recreational equipment was destroyed by fire, longtime Richmond resident W.E. Singleton said he would cover the entire cost of replacing it. The project will cost about $70,000, school officials said.

"I'm doing it in memory of my mother," Singleton said yesterday.

His mother, Ellen Passmore Singleton, was known as "Mrs. Recreation" during a career with Richmond's parks and recreation department that stretched from 1937 to 1966.

"My wife and I give from time to time," said Singleton, a retired real estate investor who is the namesake of the performing-arts center at Virginia Commonwealth University and a major benefactor of the school's jazz program. "You gotta give back."

Singleton attended Robert E. Lee Elementary, Albert Hill Middle and Thomas Jefferson High schools in the city.

His donation will be administered by the Richmond Public Schools Education Foundation.

David Ballard, the former School Board chairman who heads the foundation, said he got the call about 8:45 a.m. yesterday.

"It was a good start to the day," Ballard said. "It gives you hope. It just shows good people are out there. Right now, the school system needs it. Next time, it could be somebody else."

The plastic-coated, metal-based playground was destroyed in a fire officials believe was intentionally set. The fire, reported at about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, is under investigation.

The school system's insurance policy for buildings and grounds has a $100,000 deductible, so the equipment wasn't covered.

Even with money in hand, it could take months to get a new playground in place since the manufacturer has already scheduled its summer installations. School officials hope they can have the project done by the time the next school year begins.

Contact Zachary Reid at (804) 775-8179 or .