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New Norfolk playground replaces outdated, unsafe park

Posted at 11:44 AM, Apr 27, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-27 21:38:25-04

NORFOLK, VA. – “A playground is more than a playground.”

That’s the motto for Norfolk Public Schools.

More than 200 volunteers gathered at Sewells Point Elementary School Thursday to construct a new playground.

District staff say the old site was outdated and unsafe.

NPS received a grant from KaBOOM! and the CarMax Foundation to build the new facility.

Students got to take part in the process.

Last month, they drew designs of what they wanted to see in a new playground.

Partnering with KaBOOM! And The CarMax Foundation, the goal is to make play more accessible to children of veterans and military families.

"We understand the emotional impact many kids experience when a parent is deployed or has returned home from military service. Play opportunities are crucial for kids to relieve toxic stress, restore normalcy and stay active and healthy," staff said.

The playground is a “brain expander, friend maker, and muscle builder.”

It will open to students on Monday.