FARMINGTON -- A trust fund set up by the late Farmington attorney Peter Mills, to be used for improvements and repairs at the Hippach Athletic Field, will donate $4,500 toward a new playground at the park, it was announced Friday.

The donation from the Hippach Field Trust Fund brings the amount raised by Parents for the Playground to $28,735.

Another $4,300 is still needed to purchase and install the playground structure. If swings are included, the total needed rises to $6,300.

Spokeswoman Amy Graham said Friday she is optimistic that the remaining amount will be raised with the help of area businesses and individuals.

"We will definitely build something, probably in June, even if we have to scale back," she said.

Peter Mills' son, Paul, of Farmington, who oversees the trust fund, said it started with $100,000 and has grown to $180,000.

"The playground project is now an established and credible group that the town would otherwise not be funding because it is beyond town resources," Mills said.

However, he said the town has been "unduly conservative" in managing the trust. There will be $14,000 available in 2008 since accrued income from past years has been reinvested rather than used, which was not his father's intention.

Peter Mills died Sept. 22, 2001. He was a strong advocate for youth recreation and sports and created the trust to provide income for "maintenance, repair and improvement of the buildings, facilities and grounds of the Howard Hippach Memorial Athletic Field."

The trust fund has been used to insulate the Hippach Field house, do some foundation work and upgrade the bathroom, work on the wrought iron gateway and masonry at the entrance and paint the wading pool.

Parents for the Playground is a group of volunteers working with the town to turn a corner of Hippach Field into a playground. The area would be accessible to preschool children during school hours and appropriate for kids of all ages. For information, e-mail Graham at agraham@beeline-online.net.

Betty Jespersen -- 778-6991

bjespersen@centralmaine.com