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Meriden
Playground panel welcomes foundation
By Steven Scarpa
Record-Journal staff
MERIDEN — Members of the city’s Hubbard Park Playground Committee are honored that Christian and Sarah
Bourdon have agreed to start a foundation that would contribute to the construction of a new playscape in honor
of their young son Noah, who died in an accident earlier this month.
“It’ll certainly help us out. We
are touched that they would choose us as the charity where they would put their energies,” said Dawn Reynolds, a member
of the committee.
The committee will meet Friday at 9:15 a.m. A public discussion on the design of the project
has been rescheduled to Sept. 25 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
in the Griffin Room at the Meriden Public Library.
Allison Zenkert, Christian Bourdon’s sister and a
member of the board of directors for the foundation, said the group’s Web site is up and running. The site, www. noahsarkofhope. com, includes information on how to donate to the foundation through Castle Bank
in Meriden.
Zenkert said there have been more than 400 hits since Friday evening. The idea for the foundation came
in the days after Noah’s death on Aug. 11. Fourteenmonth- old Noah fell from a playscape near Baldwin’s
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Pond while playing, struck his head
and died. Christian Bourdon is the city’s recreation director
and was running a program at the park at the time of his son’s accident.
“I think it is a wonderful
idea. It is a beautiful way to honor him,” said Joan Goodman, a member of the committee. “I am just amazed at
the strength Chris and Sarah have and that they have the presence of mind to be so forward thinking.” The committee
has raised about $ 52,000 for the playscape, about a quarter of the expected cost, Reynolds said. She hopes the city
can contribute more to the project, but believes the foundation will be instrumental in reaching the goal. “We
want to get an idea of how this is going to evolve,” she said.
Both Reynolds and Goodman have worked closely
with Bourdon on the project, and Goodman’s son
has participated in city parks and recreation programs. Goodman, who didn’t know Noah, recalled how proud
and happy Bourdon was when he found out he was going to be a father.
“As a parent, it rips your heart out.
It is just the saddest thing. If some joy can come from this, it would be amazing,” Goodman said. “I don’t
know where they get their strength. I don’t know that I would have it.”
sscarpa@record-journal.com (203) 317-2225
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