A New Playground in Allentown!

We are lucky to have a wonderful park system in Allentown. Our family spends a lot of time at parks and on playgrounds. We take advantage of the Muhlenberg School playground, where our son can stay after school and play with his friends. Other than the school playground, which has old equipment, and is like a swamp after it rains, there are no other public playgrounds in the west end of Allentown. This is why I am excited about plans for a new fully accessible destination playground to be built at Allentown's Cedar Beach park. According to the mayor, this playground will "consist of the latest technology and most innovative playground equipment available." Wow, that sounds great!

Unstructured play is so important to a child's physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development. Childhood obesity is a problem in this country. Too many kids stay home and play video games or watch television. Too many parents use television as a babysitter. The American Heart Association advocates for one hour of play a day for kids.

Our community is changing and growing. There are more children. Children of all ages can benefit from a new playground. New playground equipment looks more like big modern sculptures for kids to explore and be creative. These newer structures are safer than the old equipment, and are handicap accessible. They are also designed with less flat surfaces, which helps to deter graffitti. And it's free fun! I know that there are many Allentown children (and parents) who will benefit from the new playground.