17 October 2023
A partnership with KABOOM!, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that helps establish playgrounds in neighborhoods that need them, is bringing as many as 18 play spaces to the city of St. Paul. The first was unveiled Friday outside the Dunning Recreation Center, where a weathered playground was razed and fully replaced over three days by upwards of 150 city residents, city staff and employees of UnitedHealthcare and Sierra apparel.
Located at 1221 Marshall Ave. near Central High School, the new Dunning Park Playground is expected to host some 1,300 kids each year.
In August, children in the historically-Black Rondo neighborhood were invited to share drawings of their dream play spaces with project organizers. The ideas were later integrated into the playground design.
The playground came together with the financial, technical and advocacy support of St. Paul Parks and Recreation, the St. Paul Parks Conservancy, UnitedHealthcare, Sierra and KABOOM! Through partnerships, St. Paul and KABOOM! hope to raise $7.5 million for 18 outdated and underserved play space locations across the city.
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