Hunter College and HCES Celebrate new playground opening!

On December 9th, with great pleasure and pride, Hunter College, CUNY, and Campus Schools’ administrators, parents, supporters, and various dignitaries gathered to cut the ribbon of the newly refurbished Ron H. Brown Playground and another turfed area at Hunter College Elementary School.

“A playground is more than slides or climbable cargo nets — it is a promise we make to children that their curiosity, imagination, and play matter,” said Hunter College Campus Schools Director Lisa Siegmann. “Today, we celebrate not just new equipment, but also the community effort that made this beautiful space possible. The opportunity for our students to have a safe, dynamic space to play during the day will bring joy, community, and healthy activity to our young children and the families in the Carnegie Hill Neighborhood.” 

“This project has demonstrated vividly for us all that it takes a village to build a playground,” said Hunter College President Nancy Cantor. “From the campus schools’ faculty, staff, and students to supportive school families, to our local elected leaders and state officials, to our government relations team and facilities leaders at Hunter and CUNY, we figured out together how to get the stars to align. And we did it all for the true stars of the day: our children of this school and of this neighborhood who will learn lifelong lessons here in building relationships and thinking creatively through play.”

Besides replacing worn-out equipment and surfaces, the playground renovation made the space Americans with Disabilities Act compliant for children of varying abilities and ameliorates poor drainage. It also fixed tree roots that had damaged tree-pit guards and caused tiles to lift.  “I’m beyond thrilled to open this incredible new playground that gives our elementary school kids a beautiful space to roam, stay active, and be kids,” said Council Member Keith Powers (D-District 4), who secured some of the funds. “The investment we secured has brought brand new equipment, safer play areas, and a vibrant space that our community can now enjoy.”  The money for the facility came from the schools’ Parent Teacher Association, private donors, and New York City public capital funds.