Cutting the ribbon for new Scranton playground
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — It's a brand new place to play in Scranton, and it's much more than just a playground. After two years in the making, students, city leaders, and the Trust for Public Land cut the ribbon on a fully transformed schoolyard at John F. Kennedy Elementary.
The upgraded space features ADA-accessible equipment, a running track, a basketball court, and an outdoor classroom.
When school's out, the space will stay open to the neighborhood.
Students also played a big role in the design process.
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'Now that my sister's coming to this school, she's actually in Kindergarten, she could play in this playground, like to know that her sister designed it will be really nice to know,' Helped Design Playground Natalie Ganzalez stated.
'A park and an open space are a unique opportunity for people to find common ground. And in today's environment, what we need more than anything else is the opportunity to meet and know each other,' Trust for Public Land Field Programs Managing Director Owen Franklin said.
The schoolyard project is part of a nationwide push by the Trust for Public Land to close the equitable park access gap, working with more than 300 cities.
This is the first of three planned schoolyard projects in Scranton.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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