Ferguson Township to Unveil New Kid-Designed Playground; Volunteers Needed for Community Build

A new playground designed with input from local children and built by community volunteers will open Saturday, Aug. 15, at Autumnwood Park in Ferguson Township, replacing aging equipment with a modern, accessible play space expected to serve thousands of children each year. 

Volunteers will begin constructing the playground at 8:30 a.m. at Autumnwood Park, located at 2207 Autumnwood Drive, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Community members are invited to attend the dedication and watch the playground take shape throughout the day. 

Up to 45 volunteers will participate in site prep Aug. 13-14. On build day, 150 volunteers are needed, including builders, registration volunteers, food volunteers and First Aid/CPR/AED certified volunteers. Breakfast, lunch, water, T-shirts and safety equipment as required will be provided.

Volunteers can sign up and find build site rules and guidelines online.

Existing equipment was removed the week of July 27 and the playground area will be closed until the new equipment is completed on Aug. 15.

The new playground was shaped by the community from the beginning. During a playground design event held in April as part of Ferguson Township’s Arbor Day celebration, local children shared drawings and ideas for their dream playground. 

Those concepts were incorporated into the final design that will be installed during Saturday’s community build. Organizers say the project reflects growing recognition of the role play can have in children’s physical, social and emotional well-being. 

The playground replaces older equipment at Autumnwood Park, one of the township’s neighborhood parks, and is intended to provide a more inclusive space where children of all abilities can play, explore and gather with family and friends. 

Township officials said the new playground will serve more than 14,000 children throughout the Centre Region each year while strengthening one of the community’s primary outdoor recreation spaces. 

The project is a partnership among Ferguson Township, the Pennsylvania Municipal League and KABOOM!, a national nonprofit that works with communities to expand access to safe, high-quality places for children to play.

Representatives from Ferguson Township, the Pennsylvania Municipal League and KABOOM! are expected to participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony and discuss the project.

The playground is part of KABOOM!’s broader national initiative to expand access to quality playgrounds. The organization works with communities across the country to address what it describes as playspace inequity by creating safe places for children to play regardless of where they live. 

Since its founding in 1996, KABOOM! has partnered with local communities and organizations to build or improve more than 17,000 playspaces serving more than 12 million children nationwide. 

The new playground also builds on Ferguson Township’s ongoing investment in parks and recreation. Autumnwood Park serves surrounding neighborhoods as a gathering place for outdoor recreation, and township officials have said replacing the aging playground addresses a growing need for updated, accessible equipment that encourages active play and social connection. 

The Aug. 15 build coincides with KABOOM!’s 30th anniversary and will bring together volunteers, township staff and community partners to complete the playground in a single day before opening it to the public that afternoon.