Community Comes Together to “Save Play” in East Austin

EAPrep student Naomi kicks off the build

Right now in this country, we are experiencing a serious play deficit and our children are playing less than any previous generation. Only 1 in 5 children live within walking distance of a park or playground and this lack of play is causing physical, intellectual, social, and emotional harm. On top of this, not enough playspaces are being built and those that do exist are often in disrepair and subsequently not safe for our children to play on. In many schools recess is being eliminated, kids are overscheduled, and in their free time, many choose to stay indoors lulled by television, computers, and video games.

Volunteer team standing on Mulch Mountain

KaBOOM! is a national non-profit organization that has been fighting the play deficit for 15 years and is dedicated to saving play for America’s children. A little over two months ago, KaBOOM! asked the Southwest Key familia to collaborate with them to bring a safe playground to the children in the Govalle/Johnston Terrace neighborhood. The dedicated staff at Southwest Key partnered with KaBOOM! and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) to make this project a reality. This project would not have been possible without the amazing support of BCBSTX and their dedication to helping Texas become a healthier place to live, work and most importantly, play.

NBA Star TJ Ford Speaks with Students and Helps with the Build

The playground build commenced on Saturday, September 24^th with almost 250 volunteers here at Southwest Key’s Centro De Familia in East Austin. We were also lucky to welcome honorary VIP’s on the day of the build to help support this endeavor including Mayor Lee Leffingwell, Representative Joaquin Castro, UT alum and NBA star TJ Ford, City Council member Kathy Tovo, Libby Doggett, and board members Ed Cline and Elizabeth Gonzales. It was amazing to see all the different volunteer teams working together to create this one of a kind playground in an astonishing 6 hours.  Teams came from: St. Edward’s University, Texas Wrangler Darlins, PODER, Better Bodies, Springdale Garden Apartments, and the Rotary Club, among others.  We began with a mountain of mulch and an infinite number of playground pieces, but with help from local musicians, some good food and equally good attitudes, we were able to complete a playground designed by local children and families!

The playground against the back drop of Southwest Key's new Social Enterprise Complex in East Austin, with Debbie Cox of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas

In only 6 hours look at all we accomplished:

• Moved 135 cubic yards of mulch by hand
• Mixed 22,000 lbs of concrete by hand
• Built 4 picnic tables
• Created 4 game tops
• Erected 1 shade structure with a rain water collection system
• Built 1 tree bench
• Produced 4 fence panels with murals
• Built 1 outdoor classroom with chalkboard
• Created and painted murals on 4 trash can containers
• Built a PLAYGROUND!

6 hours and 250 volunteers later, the playground is finished!

This event was a huge success thanks to the hard work of so many people and organizations and what we produced together in such a short amount of time is a testament to the power of community. We will soon announce the grand opening of the playground and look forward to seeing the many smiling faces of the children who will be able to enjoy this beautiful new addition to our community.

View photos of the Build Day:  flickr.com/photos/southwestkey and media coverage at YNN & Fox 7.  

by Aleah Penn, Southwest Key Programs