A volunteer group of parents and residents has joined together to build a community-built playground on the grounds of Henry H. Houston Elementary School in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia. Houston is a public school in Mt. Airy, one of the most vibrant and diverse urban neighborhoods in the U.S., with strong grassroots institutions and a long tradition of community involvement.

Houston school children were asked to submit their own playground designs. This design was created by Brittany Turner, grade 6.

On Design Day in November 2001, playground organizers and designers met with schoolchildren to ask their ideas and visions for the playground. Those ideas were incorporated into a preliminary design and unveiled that night at a community celebration. With the help of a Children's Committee, the children using the playground will choose a permanent name for it, are participating in a coin drive and other fundraisers, and will bring their parents and neighbors as volunteers during the playground construction.

During our Build Days, in fall 2002, hundreds of area residents, young and old, will come together to build this playground. We are using the services of Leathers and Associates, which has worked on more than 1,800 community-built playgrounds throughout the country, including a playground at the Jenks School in Chestnut Hill, a neighborhood immediately adjoining Mt. Airy.

The playground will be a safe, attractive and accessible play space for children from the Houston School and from the surrounding community. We are asking the support of individuals, businesses and community organizations to help make this happen. There are many ways to help: donations of money and materials, skilled or unskilled labor during the build, and help with food, child care, fundraising and publicity.

Our Mission
The Playground-Raising Project will construct a safe, attractive and accessible community-built and community-supported playground at Henry H. Houston School, for the enjoyment of children at the school and in the surrounding Mt. Airy neighborhood.

Our Goals
We will build a new playground that will incorporate these features:

• A design that will provide children with unique intellectual and physical challenges as well as a broad range of opportunities for exercise and fun
  
  
• A design that provides the greatest possible safety for the children
  
  
• A design that embodies the ideas of the children who will play there
  
  
• A playground that is accessible to all children who want to play

Friends of the Houston Playground
Wendy Schwartz, President
Marie Cyr, Treasurer
Tracy Schwab, Secretary
Tracey Woods, Community Chair
Morrie Zimmerman, Maintenance Chair
Julie Stapleton Carroll, Board Member
Rose McManus, Board Member
Judith Brewer, Ex-Officio Member Home and School

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