Sponsors give children jungle gyms

<BR>The Petrogradsky region has attracted money from sponsors for the construction of 25 children's playgrounds. In 1996 regional administration created a program for the installation of children's "jungle gyms" at the cost of business people. "Perhaps we went the way of an executive committee. If you work in this district why wouldn't you participate in its improvement?", said the press-secretary for the head of the Petrogradsky region, Irina Medovnikova, in regard to bureaucratic politics. Willing participants turned out to be numerous, among them: McDonald's, Faeton, R.J.R.-Petro, and others, however not only large businesses agreed to install playgrounds at their own expense. All of the playgrounds are being built by Ksil. As explained by regional administration, the playgrounds cost between 30 and 100 million rubles. Representatives for the patron companies agreed that the main initiative for building the playgrounds is to help the region and its residents. However, for its expenses, the sponsors also get a chance to place their logos on the playground equipment. Faeton representative Olga Bogachova explained that her company wanted the dragon logo to appear on the playground equipment: "we are counting on the stability and reputation of the name. These little children, when they grow-up, will remember our logo and come to us to refuel their cars", she said. McDonald's PR manager Tatyana Smirnova announced that the creators of the children's play areas themselves suggested that the restaurant's logo be placed on the equipment. "On all of the children's playgrounds of the district there are logos of the sponsors and it was suggested that ours be among them. We selected the color of the playground equipment and what it would consist of", said Smirnova.