A new Denver-area playground designed and built by 18 students in the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Boulder will celebrate its grand opening this Saturday, June 3, with aÌýribbon-cutting ceremony.
The newly-completed playscape is located atÌýKendall Apartments in Lakewood, an affordable housing community servingÌý48 families and 65-plusÌýchildren. The owner of the community, Northeast Denver Housing Center (NDHC), first approached environmental design instructor Jeremy Ehly about replacing the existingÌýmeager playground structures.
Partnering with the NDHC, Ehly's students began workingÌýonÌýthe new playground as their junior year praxis project—handling everything from fundraising andÌýcommunity outreach to design, fabrication and construction.Ìý
Who: Open to the public
What: Ribbon-cutting ceremony
When: Saturday, June 3, 4 p.m.
Where: Kendall Apartments playground
To inform the design and identify what would be most valuable to the community, the students held meetings and completed door-to-door interviews at the apartment complex, resulting in specially designed play equipment requested byÌýthe children andÌýmulti-sensory spacesÌýthat put all residents in touch with native vegetation and a serene environmentÌýat home.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new playscape, located at 1760 Kendall St., will start at 4 p.m. and feature remarks fromÌýthe student design/build team, the NDHC and representatives from the city of Lakewood. Light refreshments and drinks will be provided.