Zero-G chair swings unveiled at East Side Rec Playground
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. >> A brand new set of Zero-G chair swings is now open at the city’s East Side Rec Playground.
The City of Saratoga Springs Recreation Commission, together with the Saratoga City School District and the Saratoga Springs Friends of Recreation, celebrated the opening of the new swings on Monday afternoon at the playground, which is part of East Side Recreation Park at 226 Lake Ave.
The new Zero-G chair swings allows children who require additional support to swing alongside their friends. This was designed to create an inclusive environment of play parity where everyone can join in the fun. The chairs will accommodate children ages two to 12 years old.
“Children having fun together, regardless of their physical or mental ability is our goal, and the new swings today will help put us closer to that goal,” John Hirliman, administrative director of recreation for the City of Saratoga Springs Recreation Department said in a press release.
The new swingset project cost more than $8,800. This includes the four Zero-G chairs, the extension of the playground border and new surfacing.
The funding for the Swings was donated by the Saratoga Springs Friends of Recreation Fund. The Saratoga Springs Friends of Recreation is a component fund of the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region. They are community volunteers dedicated to fundraising for the Saratoga Springs Recreation Department.
“We are thrilled to partner with the City on a project that helps to ensure all children can fully enjoy a trip to the playground,” said Joseph Ogden, who serves on the Friends of Recreations Board of Directors, in the release. “Friends of Recreation remains committed to sponsoring investments that promote the inclusive use our City’s recreational resources.”
At Monday’s event, the Saratoga Springs Friends of Recreation was presented with a plaque that reads: “Thank you for your generous donation of the East Side Rec adaptive swing set, and your continued support of recreation in Saratoga Springs.”
Other projects for the Saratoga Springs Recreation Department funded by the Saratoga Springs Friends of Recreation Fund include: two new water fountains and a new clock at Weibel Ave Ice Rink, a shade structure installed at North Side Rec Playground, 300 soccer balls and basketballs to rec youth clinic sports programs and new field hockey nets.
The Zero-G Chair Swings are part of the city’s Playground Initiative, which was launched by the City of Saratoga Spring Recreation Commission in 2015 with the vision to renovate the City’s outdated playgrounds.
The Playground Initiative aims to ensure that all residents in Saratoga Springs have access to a safe and engaging play space in their own neighborhoods, and that these playgrounds are valued, protected, and improved citywide.
“At the Rec, success is developing meaningful and impactful experiences in recreation for all to benefit from,” Hirliman said in the release, “and we have accomplished that with over $350,000 in playground improvements since 2017.” To help fund similar projects for the Saratoga Recreations Department and The Playground Initiative, donations can be made to The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region by visiting www. cfgcr.org/secure-donations.