It takes a village, in this case, to build a playground. The brand new slides and monkey bars that grace the new playground of Cornelia Elementary School were made possible through a combination of efforts from local government units, a Hennepin County grant, local businesses, and generous donations and fundraising by students and families. The existing structure was demolished this past June and construction began immediately after. Made entirely from sustainable materials, the new grounds were built with recycled steel and plastic—an accomplishment for the school, says Principal of Cornelia Elementary Chris Holden.
The new playground boasts various classic and innovative play structures, such as the Spacenet Climber, an Evos play structure, and even a Sway Fun. It also encourages constant activity with structures that introduce continuous movement, upper body strength and balance. Physical education teachers at the school are already incorporating the new play structure into their curriculum.
One of the main missions of Cornelia Elementary School’s playground is to create “inclusive fun,” in the words of Holden, and to provide “a focal point for both the neighborhood and Cornelia Elementary and a spot where families want to spend time.”
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Cornelia Elementary School Playground
7000 Cornelia Drive
