Late last month, several Union volunteers and staff, Local Union 413 and members from the community took to the playground at Showalter Elementary School to clean it up after a long summer season. This is part of a continued effort that aims to maintain the park by clearing leaves and debris, fixing broken equipment, and picking up trash.
This is maintenance that all parties will look to complete every two months, ensuring that the children within the Chester community have a clean, safe place to play.
The restored park also serves as a reminder of the importance of living an active and healthy lifestyle, a key ingredient in the mission of Philadelphia Union Foundation. The playground was originally built in 2012 during the festivities surrounding the 2012 MLS All-Star Game held at PPL Park.
One of the Foundation’s first initiatives, it stood as a joint effort between the Philadelphia Union Foundation, MLS W.O.R.K.S., the league’s charitable arm, and Chester-Upland School District.
The recent restorative efforts reinforced the mission of one of the Foundation’s building blocks: creating a safe place for children to play. It also demonstrated how the Union plans to participate in the regular upkeep of the park, insuring its sustainability.
“It’s an important piece of landscape in this community and we are pleased to have the efforts of our partners and volunteers who look to keep it as such,” said Union vice president of business development and Foundation executive director Rick Jacobs. “Our main responsibilities are to these residents many of which are instrumental to the growth of our club and the success of PPL Park.
That’s why that playground is important and we want to ensure it is an important place for the children and residents of Chester for years to come.”
The playground and small field are adjacent to Showalter Elementary, a school that is part of the Chester-Upland School District. AT&T sponsored the soccer field naming it the “AT&T Community Field.”
Now, clean, fixed and manicured, the park, playground and field are now re-opened for business.
