I have read with great interest and hope the recent articles and letters in your newspaper about the valiant efforts of some of Manhasset's concerned residents to establish Manhasset's first children's playground on our village green.

I grew up in a small Illinois farm belt town of about 2,700 people. Both during and after my childhood the town's political leaders and civic organizations have worked tirelessly throughout the years to expand the facilities available to the town's residents, particularly its children. Spread through my hometown in its parks and schoolyards are: a library less than 20 years old, a community outdoor pool, seven children's playgrounds, five fully fenced baseball fields - all with bleachers and most with scoreboards, restrooms and fully enclosed concrete dugouts, a football field, an all weather track, a volleyball court, two outdoor basketball courts, four tennis courts of which two are lighted, a covered bandstand, four picnic grounds all with grills, a log cabin sitting in a small re-created prairie and an old red caboose which serves as a train museum. Just recently the town planted approximately 50 different species of trees in the largest park and put in a town sewer system. In case you are wondering, the town is not bankrupt and the property taxes are much less than Manhasset's. Basically the town residents are incredibly community minded.

It is difficult to understand how, with one or two exceptions, my small blue collar hometown has managed to equal and more often outdo the much larger and vastly wealthier community of Manhasset in providing recreational facilities to its residents and particularly its children.

All the facilities I have mentioned survive almost completely without vandalism in a community which has only one or two policemen on patrol at any one time. Perhaps that is because the children have many years of fond memories using the equipment and respect it when they become older.

Each week in the Manhasset Press I see more and more organizations and individuals writing in support of this playground. Bumper stickers are appearing on vehicles in support of the playground. The chairman of the Manhasset Park District is willing to help the project. I have heard of no one on record opposing it. Its cost is minuscule. I urge all of Manhasset's residents in favor of this playground particularly the young parents whose numbers seem to be increasing daily to let your voice be heard in the Manhasset Press and in the halls of our town government. Don't assume someone else will do it.

Mary Jane Davies Park was named in honor of one of our most activist citizens. What better tribute to her than the sound of children laughing and playing in her park. What better testament to our town government's concern for its citizens than a playground across the street from and in view of the seat of town government.

I pray our town government is moved by all the support for this playground and puts it in place for the summer. Then I won't have to explain to my children again this summer why daddy's town has so much for children and their town so little.

Dennis Sears