ST. ALBANS — After four years of planning, fundraising and volunteer labor, the St. Albans Community Playground will be dedicated at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Although the playground has been used since last fall, the town postponed the dedication until the groundwork was finished, said Town Manager Rhonda Stark.

“We have a beautiful new sign to put up, I’ll say a few words, the Board of Selectmen will be there and then the kids can play and enjoy ice cream,” Stark said.

Stark was first approached about a new playground a few months after she was hired as town manager in 2008.

“Amy Madigan-Dube and Nikki Snowman from the Recreation Committee got the ball rolling in 2009,” Stark said. The old playground was seldom used because of old equipment in poor condition.

Fundraising began in 2009, and the project got a huge boost in November 2010 with a $25,000 Land and Water Conservation Grant from the Maine Department of Conservation.

Fundraising began in 2009, and the project got a huge boost in November 2010 with a $25,000 Land and Water Conservation Grant from the Maine Department of Conservation.

Townspeople also voted to appropriate $5,000 in 2010 and 2011, Stark said. Poland Spring water and Walmart each donated $1,000 and the Springer Trust Fund, a local entity, contributed $1,200 toward the project.

The major key to the playground’s success, however, was the donation of labor and equipment, Stark said.

“Snowman Construction donated over $21,000 worth of materials and labor alone. Stiffler Construction also donated use of their equipment and labor. ADA Fence Company donated fencing. Hardwood Products of Guilford donated all the wood chips last fall, then came back this spring and put a new layer on,” she said.

The community support was pretty evident last summer when more than 25 people showed up to put the equipment together on the last weekend of July. The Hartland-St. Albans Lions’ Club and Chatterbox Club also chipped in with food for workers.

The playground equipment was bought from New England Recreation Group of Northborough, Mass., and Stark said the company was “excellent to work with. They gave us plenty of options and saved us money in the long run.”

The playground’s design features two distinct areas for children ages 2-5 and ages 6-12.

Town officials also hope that users will abide by the ban on alcohol and tobacco use at the facility. “We may have a problem or two, but I’d like to get the word out,” Stark said.