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Aiming to provide play spaces for children who do not have daily access to them, officials from the New York-based Alexandra’s Playgrounds worked with over 75 community volunteers to construct Our Lady of Mount Carmel Elementary School’s first playground on Saturday morning.

“I just think this is a wonderful day for everyone,” said the school’s Director of Development Robert Baroska. “The whole community is here working together. This was a dream – for 90 years and 158 days Mount Carmel has been without a playground. Today is the day we celebrate for the children.”

Founded in 2009, Alexandra’s Playground’s goal to provide children with safe and active play space is based on studies that show children who engage in active play grow up more physically, emotionally, and cognitively healthy.

“It’s evident what an amazing community they have here,” Alexandra’s Playground Executive Director Lori Hrbek said. “We did some research and it fit our goals. They have a great support system here because they needed to commit to the asphalt cut out and the site prep work as a buy in.”

A portion of the First Avenue Catholic School’s parking lot was transformed into a play space, featuring the slide and climb playground as well as picnic tables and benches.

The 2- to 12-year old age-appropriate equipment was developed by Kompan, a Tacoma, Washington-based global playground company and donated to the school by Alexandra’s Playground. It marks the 7-year-old nonprofit’s 20th donation both within the country and abroad.

Officials said the playground will be open to the public during after school hours and on weekends.

“A lot of these kids have never been to a playground except for the one time a year they go on a school trip to a park,” Hrbek said. “It’s not a regular part of their everyday lives and it should be.”

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