What was once a dilapidated schoolyard, 1.4 acres of crumbling concrete, is now a beautiful playground and learning center for students at Fallstaff Elementary/Middle School and the surrounding community. This transformation is thanks to the efforts of hundreds of Jewish and non-Jewish residents in the area who volunteered their time and donated their money.

Last week, the three-year effort spearheaded by CHAI: Comprehensive Housing Assistance Inc., an agency of THE ASSOCIATED, came to fruition as over 500 volunteers spent five days constructing the playground designed with input from Fallstaff students.

Sandy Johnson, president of the Fallstaff Improvement Association Inc., remembers when she moved into Fallstaff 31 years ago and had to take her young daughter to other areas to enjoy a playground. Now, she said, children in the area can play close to home, parents can meet other parents and socialize on the benches in the park. “People in Fallstaff don’t have to move to live in a better neighborhood,” said Ms. Johnson, who co-chaired the playground steering committee with Todd Tilson, a CHAI board member.

The completed schoolyard and community park will serve the children who attend Fallstaff during school hours and will be open to the community during non-school hours, becoming a unifying focus of the Fallstaff neighborhood and an open space for sports, learning and relaxation. “The playground is an opportunity for us to bring the people  together through a commonality and incorporate all facets of this diverse community,” said Mr. Tilson.

Mr. Tilson noted that the playground project represents an outreach opportunity for CHAI, which has served residents of Northwest Baltimore since 1983, and coincides with the agency’s interest in improving area schools. In 1997, CHAI organized the Northwest School-Community Partnership (NWSCP) bringing together school and local leaders to address the needs of neighborhood schools. The schoolyard project grew out of this group’s work at Fallstaff Elementary/Middle School, which serves children in kindergarten through eighth grade.

The Fallstaff Schoolyard and Community Park Project began in early 2005 with an initial concept plan which  the NWSCP used to obtain the support and encouragement of Baltimore City Public Schools and to pursue funding. CHAI and community leaders raised $300,000 from public and private funders to launch the project. Last spring and summer, these funds were used to demolish the concrete and haul the debris, prepare the site, plant grass, install a walking path and outdoor class space and build a new parking lot for faculty and visitors. 

In November, 2008, over 500 Fallstaff students shared their creative suggestions with a playground designer who incorporated their input in the final design. The completed playground features climbing structures, a giant slide and a zip line, along with environmental education components including a rain collector and a composter. The playground also includes picnic tables, benches, planters and solar lighting.

CHAI worked with Jewish Volunteer Connection (JVC), an agency of THE ASSOCIATED, to engage volunteers throughout the community to take this project from dream to reality. From young children wielding paint brushes to adults operating power tools, there was a role for all interested volunteers. Former Fallstaff students returned to their school to leave their mark for future generations. Participants from THE ASSOCIATED’s 2007 Family Mission, who helped construct a playground in Ashkelon, our sister city in Israel, reunited at Fallstaff to relive the thrill of building a community playground. Ms. Johnson and Mr. Tilson  both commented about the groundswell of volunteers who came forth for this project. “It was heart-warming to see so many people who cared about each other and shared what they have to create this beautiful gathering space.”

Volunteers are still needed to help with some follow up work, including some minor construction projects as well as planting a native garden.  If you are interested in helping, email Mia Hess at mhess@chaibaltimore.org.