It’s time to play!
Students at two Brooklyn schools will be in for a pleasant surprise when they return to school in September and are greeted by brand new playground equipment.
The new slides and swings are due to funding from Out2Play, a non-profit group building playgrounds at economically disadvantaged public schools. The organization will build 26 new playgrounds in New York City before the end of 2008.
In Brooklyn, P.S. 146 at 610 Henry Street in Carroll Gardens and P.S. 19 at 325 South 3rd Street in Williamsburg have been selected for new playgrounds.
The play areas will be especially beneficial for the community since there are no parks or playgrounds in close proximity to any of the schools.
The new construction has caught the attention of Borough President Marty Markowitz.
At a groundbreaking ceremony for P.S. 146’s playground, he discussed the need for playgrounds for young children.
“Our schools must be more than just chalkboards, computers and classrooms – they should be an oasis for children so they can become both physically and mentally strong,” he said.
Markowitz thanked Out2Play for its efforts in building playgrounds.
As a result of those endeavors, “More Brooklyn kids than ever before are playing games, exercising and experiencing the great outdoors in our well-equipped school playgrounds,” he said. “No one had to educate me about the importance of supporting Out2Play – giving our Brooklyn children a safe place to play is a no-brainer.”
