Construction for the Legacy Park playground project in Jenkintown begins this month.

The $1.3 million project replaces the Jenkintown Community Playground castle behind the elementary school, which was demolished in April. The Jenkintown Education Foundation and other community groups have raised about $1.5 million. If some of those funds are left over after completion, the remaining funds will be used to make further improvements to the park, The Philadelphia Inquirer said.

The finished playground will include slides, swings, a toddler section, and an imaginative play area with a stage donated by Jenkintown Music Theatre. From Phase One’s description:

We have evaluated our budget and timeline and in order to not leave our students without a playground for any extended period of time, we have split the project into steps. We will be gifting the original plans to the district for future implementation and instead immediately focusing on the showstopper, Jtown Jr, Hillside Play, and a new bay of swings. We hope to have members of the build team create other elements to enhance these areas in sustainable DIY ways. This will include murals, a stage, and a painted labyrinth and basketball court. Our budget for step one is an achievable 1.5 million dollars and will allow construction to be completed by the fall of 2026.

Project leaders are recruiting volunteers for the community build weekend from July 30 to Aug. 2. Slides, swings, mountaineering ropes, and a toddler area are set to be finished around the start of school, and the theater area will open later this fall.

Jenkintown School District “has an outsized impact on the community around it,” the borough’s state representative, Napoleon Nelson, said in a statement on the project. “Its grounds are open to all, Jenkintown residents and non-residents alike.”

The Jenkintown School Board of Directors approved the construction of a new playground last January. For more information and to donate to the cause, you can click here.

Renderings: Phase 1

Rendering samples for Phase 1 can be found below (more images with schematics and plans here).

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Renderings: JEF