Playgrounds
Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Cincinnati
DeHart Hubbard Playground
Like other IFCK programs throughout the country, we decided to construct playgrounds within Avondale community, to provide children with a safer environment to play. With a generous donation from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the Division of Emergency Medicine, our first playground was constructed in August 2001.
This successful project not only created an exciting new playground site, but offered a sense of shared ownership and responsibility among residents. The playground was dedicated to William DeHart Hubbard, a Cincinnati native and the first African American to win an Olympic gold medal.
Avondale Kwanzaa Playground
In June of 2002, Cincinnati’s IFCK kicked off the Avondale Kwanzaa Playground with the help of the Allstate Foundation, local sponsors and Avondale residents. Today, the playground features fun equipment, a safety surface and custom Afro-centric accessories that were designed to celebrate the seven principals of Kwanzaa. In addition to building a playground, the volunteers also planted a garden around the area and included eccentric benches and artwork throughout the site. The artwork consists of custom stepping stones, benches, a mural and community garden. The Kwanzaa theme celebrates unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.
Allstate Little Hands Kids Dream Playground
The 2003 Allstate Little Hands Kids Dream Playground is located at the Hirsch Recreation Center. IFCK enlisted urban youth to plan and build a playground for themselves and their physically challenged peers. This hands-on endeavor culminated in a kids’ dream playground and provided an invaluable learning experience in playground safety, project design and community building. Hirsch’s old outdoor equipment amounted to one bay of swings and two baseball diamonds.
The site, which is owned and operated by the Cincinnati Recreation Commission (CRC), sits in the rear of the building, away from any traffic or cross streets. It also sits adjacent to the southern boundary of a local elementary school, making it possible for the playground to be shared by both facilities. Burton Elementary School, which does not have a playground, will use the site for recess outings. This project served the dual purpose of providing a quality, safe outdoor play site for both facilities, as well as multi-dimensional learning opportunities for youth participants. All student participants underwent a playground workshop conducted by CRC playground specialists Wayne Lurix. Mr. Lurix created a student curriculum on playground safe behavior, equipment and the importance of handicap accessibility.
Martin Luther King Tot Lot
The one-day project provided safe, new playground equipment and safety surfacing for children in the Avondale community. Nearly 120 volunteers from the local neighborhood, CCHMC and other community sponsors donated their time and energy for the completion of the project. With food, music, hammers and screws, people of all ages worked to get the new playground completed for children and their parents to enjoy. The build fostered a sense of community pride and will provide a safe place for children and adults to gather for outdoor recreation.
Other playground sponsors include the Pfau Foundation, Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati, and the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Project partners include Cincinnati Recreation Commission, Zion Baptist Church and the Avondale Community Council.
Forest & Irving Park
The Forest & Irving Park, completed in May 2005, marked our fifth community playground build. The major donor for this project was Kohl’s Department Stores and Kohl’s Cares for Kids Program. A total of 122 local residents and volunteers from 10 different organizations throughout the Greater Cincinnati area took the time to help build. We enlisted approximately 35 students from Woodward Career Technical High School’s Building Technologies Program to volunteer for the playground build. Woodward students gained practical construction experience and had a tremendously fun time building a community asset.
Haven Tot Lot
In September 2005, IFCK constructed the Haven Tot Lot with the generous support of Kohl’s Department Stores and over 60 volunteers from the Avondale and local community. The one-day project provided safe, new playground equipment and safety surfacing for children on and near Haven Street in Avondale. The new Haven Tot Lot emphasizes IFCK’s local mission to make Avondale a safer place for children to live and play.
One of IFCK’s most effective means of injury prevention has been the creation of safe environments for children through the renovation of playgrounds. Since 2000, IFCK’s goal was to build five safe playgrounds in Avondale and we accomplished our goal with the help of committed volunteers and community residents in May 2005. The Haven Tot Lot was essentially a bonus playground that we built as an added benefit to the Avondale community. To date, IFCK has completed six playgrounds in Avondale through partnerships with the Cincinnati Recreation Commission (CRC), community institutions and Avondale residents.
8th & Depot Playground
On June 3, 2006, IFCK Cincinnati constructed its first community playground in Price Hill, our next focus community, in partnership with the Cincinnati Recreation Commission. A total of 110 volunteers from the hospital, twelve community organizations, and the Price Hill community helped make this build a tremendous success. The one-day community playground build project was truly a family event that featured food, fun and music for all involved. The 8th & Depot project was made possible through the generous assistance of Kohl’s Department Stores, our major sponsor, along with Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Calvary Episcopal Church, Santa Maria Community Services, the Lower Price Hill Community Council, and Oyler School. The new safe playground now includes a composite play structure, two waist-high grills, three additional benches, and electricity in the existing on-site shelter.
The playground is located at the corner of 8th & Depot directly across the street from Oyler School in the Lower Price Hill community of Greater Cincinnati. The site was chosen as the community residents felt it would enhance the school location, beautify the area, and give the children a safe place to play. With the new playground equipment and electricity, the site will be used for various community events in the future.
The new playground laid the foundation for IFCK’s expansion into Price Hill and plan to help develop a safer place for children to live and play in this area.
Dunham Playground
Nearly 140 volunteers from across Greater Cincinnati gathered on Saturday, June 23, 2007 to build a new playground at the Dunham Recreation Center. This is the eighth playground build organized by the Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Greater Cincinnati (IFCK) at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the Cincinnati Recreation Commission (CRC). The major funder for the project was Kohl’s Department Stores, Kohl’s Cares for Kids Program.
The one-day community playground build project was truly a family event that featured food, fun and fellowship for all involved. The project was a great opportunity for Price Hill residents, CRC and hospital employees, nearly 50 Kohl’s associates and a host of others to help build a community asset that will benefit children for years to come. The playground is located behind the Recreation Center facility in the West Price Hill community of Greater Cincinnati. Children enrolled in the center's summer camp, kinder-prep and preschool programs will use the new playground the most. The equipment will be very useful during summer camp, when the staff has to keep children busy as they rotate the 170 campers through lunch shifts.
The Dunham playground is just a part of IFCK's expansion efforts in Price Hill and plan to help develop a safer place for children to live and play in this area.
Mayfield Park Playground
Nearly 140 volunteers from across Greater Cincinnati gathered on Saturday, June 14, 2008 to build a new playground at Mayfield Park in East Price Hill. This is the ninth playground build organized by Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Greater Cincinnati (IFCK) at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the first with the Cincinnati Parks Department. The major funder for the project was Kohl’s Department Stores, Kohl’s Cares for Kids Program.
The one-day community project was a family event that featured food, clowns, face painting, arts & crafts, music and fun for all involved. The project allowed Price Hill residents, city and hospital employees, nearly 40 Kohl’s associates and volunteers from the Avondale Youth Council, Quebec Heights School and University of Cincinnati to help build a community asset that will benefit children for years to come. The build day was made possible by the generous assistance of sponsors including The BonBonerie, Kroger, LaRosa’s, Inc., Starbucks, and United Dairy Farmers. Children enrolled in summer classes at a nearby elementary school, Quebec Heights, are excited about using the playground immediately. The equipment will be very useful during the summer and many of the neighborhood families will enjoy the brand new playground.
St. Lawrence Playground
On August 1, 2009, over 75 volunteers were recruited to build the 10th playground organized by Injury Free Coalition for Kids (IFCK) at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. This build included the installation of a rubberized surface to help prevent fall injuries. The major funder for the project was Kohl’s Department Stores, Kohl’s Cares for Kids Program.
This one-day community project was a family event that featured food, face painting, glitter tattoos, music, a juggler on stilts, carnival games and an inflatable slide making the day fun for all. This project allowed Price Hill residents, members of St. Lawrence Parish, The National Organization of Women in Construction (NAWIC), hospital employees and Kohl’s associates to work together and build a safe play space for the students of St. Lawrence School and the children living in the surrounding community.
Contact Information
Dawne Gardner-Davis, Program Coordinator(513)636-3153