DEERING — Renovations to the third-through fifth-grade playground at Dawson-Bryant Elementary School were completed before the start of the school year, correcting a drainage problem.

Principal Angie Dillow said the playground would often be too wet for the students to play on.

“It stayed muddy all the time,” Dillow said.

Mulch was also washing off of the playground and accumulating around the fence line.

The board of education approved the renovations earlier this year and the work was completed during the summer. Superintendent Dennis DeCamp said the project cost $123,900.

Included in the work was adding new drainage, leveling ground areas, adding a concrete walking path around the playground and installing sod and new playground mulch. The black top was also enlarged, adding another basketball court and four-square areas.

Dillow said the parent teacher organization donated benches and picnic tables.

Since the renovations, there have been several rainy days, but Dillow said the new drainage is working.

“Not one day have I had to tell them to stay off the grass or avoid any areas,” she said. “It’s working. … They don’t get many breaks during the day, but when they do, they have nice facilities to use.”