Less than a year after breaking ground, city and state leaders were on hand at Ziehler Playground in Olney for a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, April 18.
The playground recently received a $7.5 million investment made possible by Rebuild Philadelphia, the City’s historic investment in public places, and the Philadelphia Water Department.
The funding has helped transform the playground.
“This is an example of government working for people who deserve to have these facilities in their community,” said Mayor Cherelle Parker. “So, this is not a gift to the community, this is just providing to the people of this community, especially our young people, what they absolutely deserve.”
The design upgrades at the playground include a new outdoor play area featuring new playground safety surface, caretaker seating, and playground equipment; two new outdoor basketball courts with graphic art surface; a new outdoor seating area and painted accents on pedestrian paths; upgraded site landscaping, fencing, and LED lighting; and much more.
Councilmember Anthony Phillips, who represents the 9th district that includes Olney, said this is an investment into children’s futures.
“As a child, I remember how the playground was more than just a meeting place … it was a place where we could dream and escape the world’s struggles,” Phillips said.
The playground upgrades are all a part of the Parker administration’s vision of a safer, cleaner, greener city with economic opportunity for all.
In addition to Rebuild’s investment, the playground site received additional support from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development‘s Greenways, Trails, and Recreation Program, and the Pennsylvania Office of Budget Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, who contributed $87,500 and $1 million, respectively.
The Philadelphia Water Department also contributed nearly $1 million towards Green Stormwater Infrastructure.
“The beautiful, natural rain gardens and other stormwater infrastructure investments at Ziehler Playground are such a meaningful example of what we can achieve by partnering our Green City, Clean Waters initiative with Rebuild and other City partners,”said Philadelphia Water Department Commissioner Randy Hayman. “Collaborations like this show what we can do by working together. We are helping to reduce combined sewer overflows in local waterways while bringing new amenities to the Olney community, and that is powerful.”
Read more about the historic investments taking place in Philadelphia communities at Rebuild.
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