By JUDITH O. ETZEL
Contributing writer
A longtime Oil City manufacturing company may have put a playground restoration project just about over the top in terms of money.
Webco, a coils-to-tubing manufacturer on North Seneca Street, has donated $15,000 to the campaign to refurbish the Land of Laughter playground at the former Lincoln School site. The location is just off Harriott Avenue.
The city has raised most of the $90,000 to install new playground equipment and to landscape the property. The playground, not upgraded since it was built in 1999 by volunteers, will be fully handicapped-accessible.
The $15,000 gift is the largest of several received either as in-kind labor or cash amounts from individuals, local clubs and businesses since the project was launched in late 2017. Howard Faunce, the city’s director of public works, is overseeing the fundraising campaign and the playground installation.
Mark Schroyer, city manager, said he believes the latest donation will “underwrite the installation of the new playground equipment.”
Work on the playground should begin next month and all preparations “are on schedule,” said Schroyer.
Some funding is still needed and donations may be sent to Faunce at City Hall.
A little history
The manufacturing plant has a long history in Oil City. The original facility was founded by Irish immigrants Michael Geary and Daniel O’Day in 1881 as the Oil City Boiler Works.
Today, Webco turns out a huge tonnage of high quality carbon steel tubing for the chemical, petrochemical, oil and gas, power generation, industrial, and agricultural industries. It employs more than 100 skilled workers.
Plans are also underway for an expansion with the company’s acquisition of several adjacent properties, including the Drake Theatre and Drake Square office building.
