Children at the Hartley Community Daycare Center are seeing green.

Brown's Lawn & Landscaping completed the second part of a two-phase improvement project at the facility over the past week, installing artificial turf to the east half of the playground. The addition complements new rubber mulch and play equipment that was installed in June.

"The kids love it and we are excited to have this big project finished," said daycare director Kaity Harms. "It looks really nice and is a great addition to the center."

The renovations replaced old equipment and the pea rock surface area. The dusty material often made kids and their clothes messy throughout the day, and also led to plenty of rocks in shoes during playtime.

"We're glad we don't have to clean that up anymore," Harms said. "I think parents are probably

happy they don't have to deal with dusty kids and dirty clothes, too."

Harms had been eyeing playground improvements since she took the director job in 2019. Thanks to fundraisers, donations and grants, the upgrades became a reality this year.

According to Harms, the rubber mulch creates a different barrier for the playground's fall zone and requires less area than the pea rock, which in turn made it more affordable. The other half of the playground provides a "grassy area" for kids to run and play on.

Work on the turf took roughly one week to wrap up. Crews completed extensive ground prep before laying the artificial grass over top.

"We're so grateful to local businesses and families for their contributions to this project, because without them, none of this happens," Harms said.

The playground hasn't been the only thing on the daycare's to-do list. Other projects like exterior painting, new fencing and new insulation have been completed in the past year. Harms also wants to get the windows and doors replaced and build a new shed for outdoor toys.

The daycare center is currently running at full capacity with a roster of 72 children. With the playground project finished, the only thing keeping kids off of it is the weather.

"They really love it," Harms said. "It looks so nice, and everybody is glad to have this finished."