The Sallie Foster Adventure Playground is an ongoing Advanture Playground project that I initiated along with Chris Foster and other cruical supporters from the Gifford Park Neighborhood in Omaha, NE.
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Read below for an archival blogpost on the project:
Read below for an archival blogpost on the project:
The opening of the Sallie Foster Adventure Playground was Saturday, May 16. It has been a long while in the works. The idea was brought to the Gifford Park Neighborhood Association Board in October 2015, and then slowly, but surely, was worked on throughout the winter. We held meetings to determine volunteer structure, to think about fundraising, to dream about spaces and approaches to play and playwork, we even applied for a grant. By March we'd acquired the use of space- an extension of the Gifford Park Community Garden through the extreme generosity of Chris Foster, one of the Garden's founders. A fence was installed; a garage on the site was worked on & cleared out; and the space was ready for us! A public meeting was held at the Yates Community Center in April, outlining the approach that would guide the playground's volunteers. We touched on the "What, Where, Why, Who" of the Sally Foster Adventure Playground. The idea was to introduce the playground to the community who were most interested in learning about it, and possibly becoming involved through volunteering, bringing their kids, and donating materials.
Saturday was the official opening date of the Playground, but the Youth Garden program had opened the week before. We were present at the Youth Garden season opening to gather waiver signatures and tell people about the playground. This Saturday we were ready to open, bringing materials out and setting up a small station with tools and nails at the edge of the space. When the Youth Garden program ended at 11:30, kids streamed over to the playground to get started.
Over the four hours that we were open I observed kids: climbing, jumping off of a spool, rolling tires, burying tires, making a sign for the playground, then another sign, building a fort, building another fort, building a sunshade, making a slide, making another slide, refining the idea to a third slide, hammering, sawing, breaking apart an old crib, building a stick figure out of the old crib, making large wooden marionettes from the old crib, climbing a tree, sitting in a tree, making costumes, making throwing stars, wrecking throwing stars, placing a mailbox, playing the xylophone, making a "bug house," catching snakes, catching a beetle, releasing snakes and beetle, digging holes, playing tug-o-war.
I am so excited for what is yet to come this summer, and so grateful for all of the support and love shown to this project! The Sallie Foster Adventure Playground is truly a community project. Thanks to the Gifford Park Neighborhood Association for all of their help and support, all of the residents of Gifford Park who have been happy to have our playground open in their backyards, people who have gathered and donated materials, friends and family who have shown support, and to the volunteers and kids who make the playground happen.
(originally posted on playlabomaha.blogspot.com)
(originally posted on playlabomaha.blogspot.com)