Arizona Republic previews community playground build in Mesa

Designed by kids, built by volunteers: New playground in Mesa in just 1 day
 
Submitted by Melissa Ann Marie Farley, Online Neighborhood Editor
Tuesday, February 5th, 2013
 

WHAT:  More than 250 volunteers from Playworld Systems and Arizonans for Children, organizers from KaBOOM! and residents of the Mesa community will join forces on Wednesday, Feb. 6 to build a new playground at Arizonans for Children’s Mesa Visitation Center. The new playground’s design is based on drawings created by children who participated in a Design Day event in December.   

 WHY:  Today’s kids spend less time playing outside than any previous generation in part because only 1-in-5 children live within walking distance of a park or playground. This play deficit is having profound consequences for kids physically, socially and cognitively. Children need a place to play every day in order to be active and healthy, something KaBOOM! has been committed to since 1996.

 The new playground  will  serve thousands of children. Arizonans for Children’s Mesa Visitation Center provides a comfortable and neutral environment specially designated for supervised visitations so that children who are wards of the state can establish and maintain the best possible relationship with non-custodial parents and family. Currently, the facility’s playground is not sufficient and in need of replacement.

 

Read the full article here.