Fundraising efforts that began to fix up a dilapidated basketball court at the Williams-Cone Elementary School playground has blossomed into a much larger project, made possible by the recent donation of $20,000 by The Highlands.

On hand to officially present a humongous ceremoninal check to school officials Thursday at the playground, John Wasileski, developer and owner of The Highlands retirement community, said The Highlands is pleased to be able to financially support the effort to rebuild the playground, “as we’re good neighbors.”

“We firmly feel that The Highlands needs to be, and should be, and has always been, and will be in the future, a part of the community, and not apart from it,” Wasileski said. “There are many retirement communities in Maine that might be at a more beautiful setting…. However, we have a view of Williams-Cone School and are in the center of downtown Topsham, and therefore we are a part of the community.”

Williams-Cone Elementary School Principal Randa Rinee thanked Wasileski for the support amid difficult economic times, noting the contribution will benefit children for generations.

“There’s so many different things children learn on the playground” in addition to getting physical exercise, she said.

Fundraising started about three years ago to try to fix the basketball courts, with their rusted hoops and backboards too high for the students to use, said Holly Kopp, a member of the school’s playground committee as well as a School Administrative District 75 school board member.

The school’s parent group and community “got behind that effort, and we began raising funds to replace the courts,” Kopp said, taking in about $1,700.

School board member Dorothy Gardner then successfully secured the $20,000 gift from The Highlands.

“So once we realized that we had $20,000 — which would, of course, go far beyond our hoops project — we decided that we’d meet as a committee and gather information from our entire community about the best way to make improvements and what people wanted,” Kopp said.

The committee surveyed parents, children and school staff. The committee used the feedback to select the structures and is working with Miracle, the playground company the school worked with about five years ago to install other playground equipment focused on helping students improve upper-body strength.

But this is not a case of out with the old, in with the new.

“Along with the new structures, we really wanted to keep most of our existing structures,” Kopp said. “We wanted to get rid of the rust, repaint, make sure that we’re renewing everything that can be renewed.”

The large wood structure will remain, but will be refurbished with installation of anti-skid material on the wood surfaces.

The playground committee has looked at getting a climbing structure, equipment to improve balance, a playhouse, as well as more equipment promoting cooperative play, Kopp said.

“It’s wonderful because it’s been generated by what the students and families feel are the priorities,” Rineer said.

Kopp said The Highlands has offered to partner with the school to solicit additional donations, so depending on how much money the school receives, the playground committee has put together plans based on $20,000, $30,000 or $40,000 in expenses.

The goal is to have the new equipment installed by the 2013-14 school year.

dmoore@timesrecord.com