Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Playground Dedication topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Erie opens renovated Columbus Park playground with $28,000 CDBG investment
Summary
City of Erie officials and community partners dedicated new playground equipment at Columbus Park, funded by a $28,000 Community Development Block Grant; officials said the upgrade is the park’s first major playground investment in nearly 30 years and is part of a broader parks planning effort called Erie Outside.
City of Erie officials and community partners on Saturday dedicated new playground equipment at Columbus Park on the city’s West Side, an improvement funded by a $28,000 Community Development Block Grant.
The new equipment, city officials said, marks the first major playground upgrade at Columbus Park in almost 30 years and is designed for children ages 5 to 12, with nine play events aimed at promoting physical activity and social interaction.
"The purchase of this new equipment was made possible by the Community Development Block Grant," said Jason Sayers, City director of public works, property and parks. "This $28,000 investment marks the first major upgrade to the playground in almost 30 years." Sayers introduced members of the parks leadership and maintenance crews at the dedication.
Mayor Dan Schember, attending the ceremony, said the city will continue soliciting resident input as it develops a citywide parks, recreation and open-spaces plan called Erie Outside. "I want to remind everyone that the city will continue to seek your input about what you wanna see in our city owned parks," Schember said.
Officials noted Columbus Park is one of 48 city-owned parks and open spaces available to Erie’s roughly 94,000 residents. Deborah Smith, director of economic and community development, administered the grant funding, city staff said; Gary Graham, bureau chief, Steve Joyner, superintendent, and Mark Davidson, the city's playground mechanic, were credited for planning and completing the project.
Speakers at the dedication framed the playground project as both a public-health investment and a way to strengthen neighborhood connections. "Our 48 Erie city owned parks and open spaces are no luxuries. They're a necessity," one speaker said, noting research linking outdoor access to better health outcomes.
The city also used the event to remind residents of upcoming community events and to encourage continuing public engagement as it prepares the Erie Outside plan. Organizers cut the ribbon to officially open the playground at the conclusion of the ceremony.
Details not specified in the ceremony included an exact installation timeline beyond the statement that this was the first major upgrade in almost 30 years and whether additional funding for related park repairs has been allocated.
