DAPHNE — After days of helping other city workers install new playground equipment at Centennial Park, Ronny Champion couldn’t wait to finish this job.

But it wasn’t because of all the hard physical work, or the many hours spent reading installation manuals.

“I just can’t wait to see the kids play here and to know that what we did is a part of their having a good time,” he said.

Champion got his wish Thursday, when he and his crew finished work at the Main Street site.

And sure enough, just hours later, parents — and several happy children — were already enjoying the new safer equipment.

Part of the upgrade included the installation of two handicap-accessible swings, Champion said.

These swings provide additional support and protection, he said.

“That’s important because all children should have an opportunity to play and have fun. Play should be for all. So these new swings should help,” he said.

“We really want everyone to have an enjoyable time here.”

Additional new swings for infants and older children were also installed, Champion said.

Getting the equipment installed was important since the park had been closed for two weeks during the renovation, he said.

Several existing items were removed for safety reasons, including an older wooden playground set that was past its prime, Champion said.

The new play center has a decorative green dome.

Children can climb up to its platform or even go down its dual slide together, side by side, Champion said.

It also features a sliding area for younger children, he said.

“And let me tell you, there was a lot of learning that went on as we began installing this equipment,” Champion said.

“It definitely wasn’t child’s play. Just putting that large playstation together and getting it into the ground properly took about a week,” he said.

Has he tried the slide?

“Of course, we had to put a weight-test to it,” he said with a knowing smile. “It didn’t hurt that we also wanted to try this stuff out.”

An accelerator, which allows children to spin around, was also added to the park, Champion said.

Specially-designed mulch was placed under the equipment; It is meant to help keep youngsters safe in case of a fall, he said.

“All of this was done strictly by the book, for the safety of the kids,” Champion said.

“A quarter of the paperwork we had here was probably just the rules for how this work was to be done.”

The work was completed by a four-man crew, including: Champion, James Gore, Chris Stanton and Chris Bradford.