McKinney | July 2023

PARKS

McKinney leaders send play structures to overseas communities

BY SHELBIE HAMILTON

do that not just in McKinney, but in another part of the world.” The details The playground structure formerly found in east McKinney at Fitzhugh Park along with ve swings from Fitzhugh Park and McKissick Park were installed in early 2023 at Nakowa Primary & Secondary School in Zambia. The school serves 1,400

McKinney ocials sent playground structures from multiple city parks to new homes overseas through a partnership with Project Playground, according to a news release. The context Playground structures from seven McKinney-area

The former McKinney playground was installed at Nakowa Primary & Secondary School in Zambia.

parks will be reused in Zambia, Botswana and Romania, accord- ing to the release. The Houston-based Project Playground organization repur- poses U.S. playgrounds due to be demolished and installs them in developing communities around the world, according to the organization’s website.

“WE HAVE NOTICED THAT SCHOOL CHILDREN COME EARLIER THAN USUAL TO SCHOOL JUST TO HAVE MORE TIME TO PLAY” TRIDOH MATIMBA, EMPLOYEE OF NAKOWA PRIMARY & SECONDARY SCHOOL

COURTESY CITY OF MCKINNEY

students and has seen increases in attendance since the instal- lation of the former McKinney playground, according to the release. “Following the addition of a playground on our property, we have noticed that school

The play structure from Eubanks Park is expected to be reinstalled in Romania. The swings and play structure from Finch Park will be relo- cated to Botswana. Playground structures from Hill Top Park, W.B. Finney Park and Serenity Park will be refurbished and sent to other overseas communities. “We want to be the model for others to follow, and this is a great way we can be good stewards of our resources and continue to enhance the quality of life in McKinney and even around the globe,” Kowski said in the release.

“Part of our mission as the Parks and Recreation Department is to connect people to spaces that allow them to build strong relationships, improve overall well-being, and foster inclusiveness,” Parks and Rec- reation Director Michael Kowski said in the release. “This is a tangible way we can use our resources to

children come earlier than usual to school just to have more time to play,” said Tridoh Matimba, an employee of Nakowa Primary & Secondary School, in the release. “It has improved attendance where we hardly have any absenteeism.” Other former McKin- ney playground structures will also be relocated.