Kids design new playground in Gloucester County: 'I'm making a big play space"

PAULSBORO, N.J. - Kids in Paulsboro have been without a neighborhood playground for a while, but Wednesday, thanks to some local organizations, they got to have a say in the design.

A dream team that includes Atlantic City Electric and Gateway Community Action Partnership is putting logistics together for the playground, slated for an empty lot on West Buck Street. The playground that once stood in the location was torn down after being deemed outdated, so who better to have a say in how the play space should look and feel but kids themselves.

Brilliant students from Loudenslager Elementary School were working hard, using their imaginations, dreaming of a new playground.

Elijah said, "I’m trying to make a big play space right here and then the monkey bars here. The swings, the trampoline and a basketball court. This kid sits here and this kid sits here, so it’s kind of like a merry-go-round."

Students had the chance to come into the school’s steam room to work with the designers from Kaboom, a nationally recognized non-profit that helps diverse communities build playgrounds for kids.

Taking their markers and crayons and letting their imaginations do the work, fifth-grader Darrell is particularly excited about the playground, right around the corner from home. "I’m working on a trampoline, basketball court and a football field. It feels amazing."

Other artists, like fifth grader Londyn, chimed in saying, "It’s really cool. I’m really happy that I’m allowed to be here. I made a zip line, so when you go in the park, there’s this mat that you can go to to get on the zip line. Sometimes I’ll see other parks have zip lines, but they"ll be really far away. So I wanted one that was close to people so they can have fun."

The organizers and builders will be looking for the community’s input at the Paulsboro Municipal Building until 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The build day is set for April 10th.