New York State Senator Pete Harckham attended a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new inclusive playground at Hillcrest Elementary School in Peekskill on Wednesday, Dec. 18. The recreational space, where children of all abilities can play together, was made possible in part by a $200,000 State Senate grant that Harckham secured for the Peekskill City School District.
“I am delighted to have helped fund this inclusive playground, which will enable the students of all abilities at Hillcrest Elementary School to have fun and enjoy themselves in a safe and welcoming environment,” said Sen. Harckham. “It’s good news that third and fifth graders at the school will be able to enjoy the new playground in time for this holiday season and for years to come. Seeing the joy in these children’s faces is why we do this work.”
Harckham was joined at the inaugural ribbon cutting event by Peekskill Mayor Vivian McKenzie, Peekskill City School District Superintendent Dr. David Mauricio, School Board President Michael Simpkins, Hillcrest Principal Crystal Hernandez and dozens of school children.
“As a Board of Education and School District, we value the importance of students engaging in physical activity and socializing on a daily basis,” said Dr. Mauricio. “Our playground needed significant repairs. We also sought to have an inclusive playground that allows children with physical needs to play with their peers. The generous funding provided by Senator Harckham has brought this goal to fruition, and for that, we thank him greatly.”
“I thank Senator Harckham for all his endeavors on behalf of our city and this is one of them—making playing in a playground accessible to all our children,” said Mayor McKenzie. “We look forward to having these playgrounds available in all our parks and schools within the city so that our children can come out and play and learn in a place that is safe and accessible to them.”
“We are incredibly grateful to Senator Harckham for the generous gift of a new playground that not only embodies our school colors of red and blue, but also ensures accessibility for all students with its ADA-compliant design,” Ms. Hernandez said. “This thoughtful contribution will enhance our students’ physical and social development, creating a space where every child can play, grow, and thrive. Our students deserve to have the very best and Senator Harckham and his team made this dream a reality for our scholars. We thank him for making our school community stronger and more inclusive!”
The new playground incorporates slides, a seesaw, a climbing frame and other features, all built on a safety recycled rubber tile surface. The $200,000 state grant helped pay for the clearing of the old playground, and the purchase and installation of the new equipment. The project total cost was $291,755.
The funding for the playground was made possible through the Creativity in Engineering, Science, and Technology (CREST) program, which is among the State Senate grant programs administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) to support community and economic development. Harckham has delivered more than $30 million of State Senate grant funding to municipalities and nonprofits in the 40th Senate District since taking office in 2019.
