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NATCHEZ — Long-anticipated new playground equipment rolled off of a semi-tractor trailer at Duncan Park on Wednesday morning and a little later at Osceola Park.

For Sanora Cole, the city’s director of parks and recreation, it was an exciting sight. She was witnessing more than a year of hard work and planning for new playground equipment come to fruition.

“We’ve been waiting a long time, but it’s great to get started and I’m looking forward to seeing progress being made every day,” she said.

Work to begin the installation of playground equipment at the Duncan Park playground number one — there are three playground areas in Duncan Park, but number one is the largest — which is located on the hill at the entrance of the park, will begin in a few days. However, work on the installation of the equipment at Osceola Park began immediately.

“We are still removing some pea gravel and getting the grounds ready at Duncan Park,” Cole said.

In the next several days, other semis will arrive, carrying new playground equipment for North Natchez and Madison parks and another with equipment for Concord and Jack Waite Park.

It will take about 30 days to complete the installation of all-new playground equipment in the city.

“We know we will have some weather delays and some equipment delays, but by November, we should be rolling,” Cole said.

Great Southern Recreation of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, won the contract to design the playgrounds, and manufacture and install equipment. Multiple crews will be here installing the equipment and working on different parks at the same time, Cole said. Some of Great Southern’s employees are here working on the installation, and some contractors hired by that firm are helping with the installation as well.

“We are still getting started. We appreciate everyone’s patience and excitement. All the things we said we were going to do with our playgrounds, we are doing it,” she said.

When the installation is complete, Natchez can expect a big unveiling event.

“We plan a ribbon cutting and a good family day at the parks. We want to make sure our community comes together. We are doing this for the youth and kids in the community. At the end of the project, we are going to make sure each community feels that these are their parks,” Cole said.