Latest news with #playgrounds
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Community input needed on new playgrounds in Marion County
FAIRMONT — Marion County Commissioner Bobby DeVaul asked his fellow commissioners Wednesday to earmark money for three or four new playgrounds around the county and present that information at a future commission meeting. 'I like to earmark the money so the community knows, it's not just us blowing smoke,' DeVaul said. 'The money's earmarked, and that's where hopefully you guys can help us get a story out there, get some responses and see if anybody actually wants it. And if it's earmarked on the next agenda, then we can go from there.' The county recently installed a new playground at the Marion County Soccer Complex so far on US 250 North. DeVaul said the community response to the addition has been great. The playground was added to give kids who accompany soccer players something to do while they wait for the player to finish their game. Although there was initial skepticism the playground would interfere with the games, it is a welcomed addition to the complex. Now, DeVaul wants to replicate that success at other locations throughout the county. He hopes earmarking the money will show the community he's serious about building the playgrounds, and generate community engagement for the project. Another source of inspiration was the recent work the City of Fairmont has done to improve the city's playgrounds and parks. DeVaul isn't prepared to receive responses from the community just yet. More information will be released after commissioners successfully earmark an amount. Commissioners will finalize the details before placing the item on the next meeting's agenda. DeVaul said sometimes the county forgets the outlying areas and he thought it'd be nice to be able to give something back. 'I hope to keep kids active out in the playgrounds,' he said. 'Give something for families to go do when it's nice out. I was at Merrickville Baseball Field. There's nothing for kids to do while games are going on. It'd be great if they had a playground there for the same kind of thing.' Jon Dodds, board member of the West Virginia Three Rivers Festival gave commissioners a report about this year's festival. He said, although the weather was a challenge and some groups didn't show up, the festival was still a success. Dodds, who shoots video using a drone, said his video of the festival has received 10,000 views on Facebook. Commissioner Linda Longstreth complimented him for making the festival available virtually. Wesley Dobbs, interim president of the Dunbar School Foundation, attended the meeting in an attempt to rebuild trust with the Marion County Commission. Foundation Board Secretary Howard Brooks attended last month to let the commission know the foundation was working to get Dunbar School back on track. He also requested funds for a refurbishment project. The Foundation has been navigating the fallout from an alleged misuse of COVID-19 pandemic funds, which led to the federal government seeking answers from a former employee. Dobbs told the commission the foundation wants to turn the annex building of the Dunbar School into a place that can provide technical education classes. Dobbs said Fairmont's Black community wants to do its part, and to do that requires providing new graduates out of high school a place to learn trade skills and keep them out of problems. Dobbs said refurbishing the building will require a new roof. He also said the foundation will continue to be a nonprofit. Brooks also attended to follow up on the the funding request. After figuring out there was a breakdown in communication over some necessary paperwork, Commission President Ernie VanGilder said the commission would get the paperwork over to the foundation. There's still work to be done to repair the damage done to the foundation's reputation. 'We're just trying to come out from that stigma and do something good for the community,' Dobbs said.
CBS News
19-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
San Francisco donors, families outraged as money meant for playgrounds allegedly misused
A prominent nonprofit tasked with improving the city's parks and open spaces is under fire after being accused of mismanaging millions of dollars intended for playground construction, including at Crane Cove Park in the Dogpatch neighborhood, where local families have waited years for promised play areas. The San Francisco Parks Alliance (SFPA), a nonprofit that works with city agencies and donors to fund public space projects, is accused of diverting donations meant for specific projects to cover general operating expenses. One of the largest donors, the Baker Street Foundation, contributed $3 million to the organization to build two playgrounds at Crane Cove Park — one for toddlers and another for older children. But years later, neither playground has materialized. "The money that we donated was supposed to go to a [playground] here and a [playground] over there for the children in the neighborhood," said Baker Street Foundation board member Nicola Miner, standing on the empty lot where the playgrounds were meant to be built. Miner said she learned only recently that $1.9 million of the donated funds had reportedly been spent on general expenditures. "I wanted a park here, that was what our money was for. The money was not for general operating expenses. And so, I just feel a real sense of betrayal," she said. For Miner, the greatest loss is felt by local families who had counted on the playgrounds for their children. "The fact that they took money away from families, I'm speechless. I actually can't even believe somebody would do that," she added. Nearby residents share her frustration. RJ Andrews, who lives just two blocks from Crane Cove Park, said his family has been waiting since plans were first announced over six years ago. "When [Crane Cove Park] broke ground, we were so excited. Even more excited to learn that there's going to be a playground coming. And that was a long time ago. That was six, seven years ago when the first plans came out. And that pad has been sitting empty since the park opened in 2020. And since 2020, we've grown a family," Andrews said. His son, Atlas, just celebrated his fourth birthday at the park on Sunday. Andrews and his wife are now expecting their second child in a few weeks. "We have a lot of great, new parks [in this area]," he said. "None of them have playgrounds. So to go to a playground, we actually have to take a bit of a trek." The Parks Alliance had previously announced that the two playgrounds, along with a new dog park, would open in June. However, with much of the funding gone, construction has not begun. "Disappointment," Andrews said simply. The San Francisco Chronicle recently reported that SFPA used at least $3.8 million that had been earmarked for specific public projects to instead cover its own operating costs. The organization's former CEO and CFO have since departed. In a public statement, the new CEO, Robert Ogilvie, acknowledged the missteps. "SFPA is working hard to correct the errors of the past and begin a new era of transparency and fiscal accountability with our Community Partners and with the City and County of San Francisco," Ogilvie stated. "We are looking broadly at options to stabilize the San Francisco Parks Alliance." But that response isn't enough for Miner. "I haven't heard them apologize at all," she said. Miner is now calling for a criminal investigation and said the public deserves a clear accounting of where the money went. "I don't think there's going to be [a playground] here for a while," she added. She has already filed a complaint with the California Attorney General and said she plans to file one with the San Francisco City Attorney as well. Whether a criminal investigation will be launched remains unclear.
Associated Press
14-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
The Zbar Bake Sale Collection Features Two New Flavors and Helps Raise Awareness of KABOOM! Partnership Focusing on Kids' Access to Outdoor Play
Approximately 30 million kids in the United States lack nearby outdoor places to play, inspiring the Zbar brand partnership with KABOOM! EAST HANOVER, N.J., May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Zbar, the energy snack bar for kids, is kicking off the Spring season with the launch of the Bake Sale Collection, featuring two delicious new flavors: Cinnamon Roll and Cookies 'n Creme. Inspired by home baking, Cinnamon Roll tastes like all the fun that Saturday mornings bring in a bar, while Cookies 'n Creme offers a delicious twist on a family favorite. With a soft-baked texture, Zbar energy snack bars are made for busy, adventure-fueled days—perfect for park outings and snack breaks before sports practice. The Zbar Bake Sale Collection also highlights the brand's partnership with KABOOM!, a nonprofit organization committed to ending playspace inequity. According to a study from the University of Michigan, kids in the U.S. get only 7 minutes of unstructured outdoor play time per day, on average.1 In addition, the Trust for Public Land found that nearly 30 million kids live more than a 10-minute walk from the nearest park.2 As the brand that believes in helping fuel kids to discover their world, Zbar announced a two-year, $1 million partnership with KABOOM! in July 2024 to help build nature-based, sustainable playgrounds for communities nationwide. The initiative supports KABOOM!'s climate-forward playground design by incorporating natural elements like trees and shade structures, and replacing heat-retaining materials with cooler, sustainable alternatives. Together, the Zbar brand and KABOOM! want to create new nature-friendly playgrounds in communities where they're needed most to help give more kids the opportunity to spend time playing outdoors–even as the summer starts to heat up. 'At Zbar, we're committed to crafting quality snacks for kids that help fuel active exploration,' said Valerie Van Arkel, Director of Marketing for Zbar at Mondelēz International. 'The delicious new Cinnamon Roll and Cookies 'n Creme flavors in our Bake Sale Collection deliver the delightful taste kids want for their warm-weather adventures, while highlighting the work we are doing with KABOOM! to help connect more kids to nature and outdoor play.' 'The joy of outdoor play is something that every child needs to experience,' said Lysa Ratliff, Chief Executive Officer of KABOOM!. 'In partnership with Zbar, we will create eight new playgrounds that are nature exploration areas, helping more than 15,000 kids develop lasting memories outdoors. Together, we're making great progress toward our goals of fostering a more sustainable playground industry and helping increase the number of kids who can get outside to play.' Designed to provide parents with fuel their kids will love, Zbar energy snack bars are non-GMO, USDA Organic certified and a good source of fiber with 11g-13g whole grains per bar. Zbar Cinnamon Roll and Cookies 'n Creme flavors are available at all major national retailers in packs of 6 and 12. References About CLIF For more than 30 years, CLIF has crafted delicious food with organic whole grain oats under its CLIF BAR, Zbar, Nut Butter Bar, and LUNA brands. In 2022, CLIF became part of the Mondelēz International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDLZ), portfolio of brands empowering people to snack right in over 150 countries around the world. With 2024 net revenue of approximately $36.4 billion, Mondelēz is leading the future of snacking with other iconic global and local brands such as OREO, RITZ, belVita, LU, and TATE'S BAKE SHOP biscuits and baked snacks, as well as CADBURY DAIRY MILK, MILKA and TOBLERONE chocolate. Mondelēz International is a proud member of the Standard and Poor's 500, Nasdaq 100, and Dow Jones Sustainability Index. For more information about CLIF BAR, please visit CLIF | Mondelēz International, Inc. ( About KABOOM! KABOOM! is the national nonprofit committed to ending playspace inequity – the reality that quality places to play are not available to every child, especially in communities of color. Since 1996, KABOOM! has partnered with kids and communities to create or transform 17,000+ playspaces and ensure that more than 12 million kids have equitable access to the critical benefits and opportunities that playspaces offer. KABOOM! continues to make progress on its 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity through new partnerships with a goal of accelerating efforts in 25 municipal systems toward achieving their mission at scale across the United States. Learn more at or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Mondelēz International
The Guardian
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Provision of child play spaces should be duty in English planning law, MPs say
A duty to provide space for children to play on new developments should be embedded in planning law, MPs and campaigners have said. The first ever all-party parliamentary group on play was launched on Tuesday alongside a campaign to bring in a 'play sufficiency duty' in England to match those in Wales and Scotland. Tom Hayes, the Labour MP for Bournemouth East and part of the group, is pushing for the planning and infrastructure bill going through parliament to be amended. 'Playgrounds are not part of statutory provision for councils at the moment,' Hayes said. 'We want to change this and it would be a big change.' He said the change in the law would be 'no burden, no cost' to local authorities. 'We want to build more playgrounds and we want them to be inclusive for all children,' he said. 'The money for this can come from developers' section 106 funds that they provide when they build new homes. 'Play is so important for children and for communities. We want to bring in a play sufficiency duty and we are looking at tabling that as an amendment to the planning bill.' Hayes and the non-profit group Play England also announced a 10-year campaign to 'make play normal again' at an event that brought slides into the heart of parliament. Experts warned the government last year that children were 'suffering huge damage to their health and wellbeing from policymakers refusing to prioritise the need for outdoor play'. The inquiry by the levelling up committee heard that children were 'less important than bats' in planning law, and that there had been no mention of play in the national planning policy framework (NPPF) until last year. In December, after lobbying from Play England, the NPPF was amended to include protection for 'formal play spaces' – but as policy guidance, not law. Eugene Minogue, the executive director of Play England, said: 'Play sufficiency means making sure that every child has enough time, space, opportunity and freedom to play – wherever they live. It's about making play part of how we plan and design our communities, not just something added afterwards (or forgotten altogether). 'Our aim is to make play a normal and visible part of everyday life again. We want a shift to a culture where play is recognised, accepted and protected at school, in our streets, in our communities.' 'This is not just about building new playgrounds. It's about embedding play in how we build communities – so children don't just have homes, they have a childhood.' Wales introduced a play sufficiency duty in 2012 and Scotland passed a play strategy implementation plan in 2023. Both include guidance on planning for play and on local authorities' duties to assess play opportunities. In Wales the duty is embedded in health, planning, education and housing strategies. Play England, in a submission to the planning bill that is going through parliament, warned that 'informal play spaces like streets, estates and parks remain entirely unprotected by any policy or legislation [and are] routinely lost to development or traffic'. The bill has faced widespread criticism from environmental groups and play campaigners who have warned that further deregulation of planning laws could result in the loss of green and doorstep play spaces.
The Guardian
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Amsterdam: sound of children playing not a valid reason for complaint, say experts
Residents in one of Europe's most densely populated cities who complain about the noise of children playing should be ignored, according to a sports advisory group which says outdoor activity is vital for their health. In new outdoor play advice, Sportraad Amsterdam (Sports Council Amsterdam) says local bylaws should be changed so that the sound of children playing is no longer a valid reason for complaint by vexed neighbours. 'Especially in an urban environment like Amsterdam, the sound of playing children is a natural, desirable and unavoidable part of daily life. The municipality's communication needs to position the sound of playing children as a positive and healthy aspect of the city,' says the report by the independent advisory body. Changing the legislation would 'help prevent unnecessary restrictions or the closure of playgrounds due to a few complaints', it added. As the Netherlands aims to build almost 1m homes to address its housing crisis, bodies such as Sportraad Amsterdam are campaigning for authorities to factor in outdoor space for children to those plans. According to city research, many in the Dutch capital already live in small, single-glazed houses without gardens. National figures suggest 38.5% of Dutch children aged four to 12 do not meet national guidelines of at least an hour a day of intensive movement. Nick Romeijn, the general secretary of Sportraad Amsterdam, said: 'Public space is becoming ever more scarce, including outdoor playgrounds. Existing playgrounds are being used more, leading to complaints about noise pollution. As a result, politicians sometimes scale back or move playgrounds. But if in 15 years, we want to have a city where children are welcome, we have to make choices … And if you have [daytime] noise from a playground because children are playing, you need to embrace it.' Amsterdam municipality welcomed the report and said it was working to address the concerns. Rob Hofland, a D66 party councillor who has proposed a new policy to stimulate rough-and-tumble play, said it was vital to give children play spaces. 'And yes, playing children make a noise,' he said. 'That is part of the city.'
