Allegheny Commons Park is a short walk from major churches, the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, the National Aviary, a public school, and several daycare centers. Thousands of children take advantage of the space on a regular basis. However, portions of the park’s aging playground had become unsafe over the years. Metal slides overheated on sunny days and decaying wood produced splinters. The outdated, dangerous infrastructure needed to be replaced.
The City of Pittsburgh led a community engagement process that gave the public–including neighborhood children– the opportunity to help design a new playground. The Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities worked with volunteers and the nonprofit organization KaBOOM to build the new playground. Over 200 volunteers worked together to construct the playground in one day. The playground equipment was purchased from Playworld Systems, a Pennsylvania company in Lewisburg.
Thousands of children now enjoy a safe, up-to code place to play. They benefit from six types of slides, a rock climbing wall, a bridge, ladders, monkey bars, a seesaw, balance beam, swings, a variety of climbing structures, and other pieces that encourage outside play. There is a toddler town, which provides safe, age appropriate equipment for 2-5 year olds.
The Keystone Fund grant was combined with support from the City of Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the Grable Foundation to make the new playground a reality.
