Everhart Park gets new playground equipment
WEST CHESTER » Although the new playground in Everhart Park was designed by kids — and for kids — a couple of adults played around at Friday’s ribbon cutting.
County Commissioner Josh Maxwell, and former Mayor and state Rep. Dianne Herrin, D-156th of West Chester, both took rides on the park’s new zipline.
Parks and Recreation Director Keith Kurowski said that the playground, which opened in November, is packed all of the time.
“If you had seen the previous playground, you wouldn’t have thought this possible,” he said.
Lillian DeBaptiste enjoys bringing her grandkids to the park. She talked about the collaboration of the volunteer Friends of Everhart Park, which started in 1989 and sparked other similar organizations all over the borough.
“Our neighborhoods take care of each other and look
out for each other,” DeBaptiste said.
Chair of the County Board of Commissioners Marian Moskowitz said the new playground is an example of the importance of partnerships in the community.
Zipliner Maxwell noted that 70-percent of Chester County residents live within a half-mile of a park.
“West Chester is leading that effort and just packs in great parks,” he said.
Commissioner Michelle Kichline was struck by the beauty, and the calmness that comes over her while visiting Everhart Park.
“Chester County is known for its support of volunteerism,” Kichline said. “I like ziplines, but I like a swing.”
State Sen. Carolyn Comitta, D-19th of West Chester, supported the playground.
“Our playgrounds are truly our first classrooms,” she said. “And the new Everhart Park playground is a place where children of all abilities can come together to interact, get some exercise, learn about themselves and others, and just have fun.
“I am proud to support this project and I want to thank all the partners who worked together to make it a reality.”
Herrin enjoyed ziplining. “It’s the partnerships that makes these parks,” she said. “We need parks now more than ever for a wonderful sense of community.”
Former Borough Council
President Michael Galey’s wife Rachel Kagan helped lead the volunteer drive to build the new playground.
“This couldn’t have happened without the grants,” Galey said.
The Friends of Everhart Park, elected officials and borough staffers spearheaded the project. Hillsdale Elementary School students helped design the playground. Several agencies contributed financially.
The cost of the playground was $685,000. Grantors included, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for $183,000, through the Community Conservation Partnership Program, with Drew Gilchrist, Regional Advisor and Cheri Matter, Section Chief.
The Department of Community and Economic Development and the Commonwealth Financing
Authority worked with Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program, with
Heather Brosius, Economic Development Analyst, and pitched in $175,000.
And the County of Chester and the Chester County Commissioners, through a Chester County Municipal Park and Trail Improvement Grant, with Judith B. Thomas, Preservation Programs Coordinator contributed a $90,000 grant.
The Friends of Everhart Park were also instrumental in financially bringing the playground to life.
The main structure of the playground is a custom built 2-story treehouse with climbing structures, a fire pole, tunnels and bridges. The main treehouse has a wheelchair accessible ramp and two transfer stations. There are a total of six slides, including a swirly vortex slide, a bumpy slide, a fast slide, a turn slide, and two racing slides.
Adjacent to the main tree house structure is a climbing forest that leads to a strength building obstacle course. This course includes monkey bars of several levels, with low monkey bars that are also wheelchair accessible, a challenge bridge, and hanging rings.
This challenge course was requested specifically by grade school children who will use the park, all of whom are big fans of ninja warrior and who look forward to enjoying their own course in the park.
The rest of the playground equipment featured in the design includes a wheelchair accessible Merry-Go-Round, new ADA-accessible swing seats, a rocking pirate ship, and a much requested and most highly anticipated: a zip line.
The playground project was kicked off by a Friends of Everhart Park survey and the subsequent formation of the playground committee in 2019. The committee includes, Susan Frens, Rachel Kagan, Helen Wessling, Lee-Ann Srogi and Dale Frens.
FOEP identified its “dream” playground designer, Play by Design, LLC. Play by Design was the preferred designer because of their unique playground designs and the inclusion of the community and children in the “Design Day” event, according to Kagan. The sitework was performed by Stantec.
That Design Day happened on January 22, 2021, with the eager help of the Hillsdale Elementary Principal, Paige Merten and PTO president Cristin Mower. Students at Hillsdale Elementary provided drawings, ideas, and a wish list for the new playground.
Designer Lisa Deshano from Play By Design worked with the kids to sketch out the first drawing of the playground. The students put an emphasis on inclusion of kids of all abilities in the community. The new playground allows for many ADA approved pieces of equipment. The Hillsdale students lobbied for inclusion of the ADA equipment.