News

May 20, 2021

The Schenectady Jewish Community Center (JCC) Unveils a Brand New Playground

The Chamber had some fun in the sun on Thursday, May 20th as we helped unveil Schenectady Jewish Community Center’s (JCC) new state-of-the-art Ernest & Gloria Kahn Playground for school-age children. The new playground, named for the longtime Schenectady JCC supporters, was built for the more than 1,000 children the Schenectady JCC serves on an annual basis through its early childhood education program, after school care program, summer camp, and other youth programming.

“We are thrilled to be able to provide this new playground for the children we serve and their families, and we’re especially proud that it is accessible to all children,” said Schenectady JCC Campus Director Andy Katz. “We hope they spend many hours having fun on this new equipment and cultivate new friendships and strengthen old ones during their play.”

The project was made possible through a nearly $200,000 fundraising campaign during which the Schenectady JCC and its Playground Task Force, chaired by Amy Landauer-Ruder, hosted community fundraisers at local restaurants, community events, and other fundraising efforts. To make the project a reality, the Schenectady JCC called on the community to help support it not only through fundraisers but also during four community build days which took place in April and early May.

“Our community recognized that this was an important project and eagerly supported our efforts, both to raise the necessary funds and to install the equipment. We are very grateful for that support,” said Landauer-Ruder.

“It is wonderful to see the community come together to a project that will bring such joy to the community’s children and their families for many years to come,” said Capital Region Chamber President and CEO Mark Eagan, who was present at the ribbon cutting. “This playground will likely be a favorite spot for kids of all ages.”

The new playground was designed by leading playground developer Parkitects and replaces a more than 30-year-old structure. It is a larger and more accessible space for all children and features a double zipline, three slides, and numerous climbing apparatus. One of the ziplines includes a seat that is suitable for children with disabilities and the groundcover in the playground features wood chips, which replace the sand that previously was there. In addition, the path from the parking lot to the equipment is now handicap accessible.

All ribbon cuttings are sponsored by the Saratoga National Bank & Trust.