Students in the third through fifth grades at Brookside Elementary School in Baldwin have been missing something important during recess — a playground of their own.
The aging play area for the school’s older students was taken out of service after deteriorating equipment raised safety concerns, leaving them without a dedicated place to climb, slide and explore.
However, a Nassau County grant is expected to give them that space back — this time with a new, fully accessible playground designed to serve students of all abilities.
Nassau County Legislator Scott M. Davis, who represents parts of Baldwin, secured a $150,000 Community Revitalization Project grant on July 27. Baldwin School District Superintendent Anthony Mignella said the new equipment will directly benefit roughly 250 Brookside students.
“We really just want children to learn, play and thrive on the playground,” Mignella said.
Brookside has separate recreation areas for younger and older elementary students. The equipment for students in the third through fifth grades, which Mignella said was donated by parents more than a decade ago, was decommissioned after it became faulty and unsafe. After becoming superintendent, Mignella made it a priority to assess playgrounds across the district and work with schools, community members and PTAs to determine where improvements were needed.
“Brookside was definitely in need,” he said. “That one playground had to be taken apart because some of the equipment was faulty and not safe.”
The new, fully accessible space will include age-appropriate climbing structures, slides, interactive play features, shaded seating and gathering areas. Mignella said the equipment is being designed so children of different abilities can play alongside one another.
The design is intended to offer more than just opportunities for physical activity. Mignella said it will allow students space to use their imaginations, build confidence and create memories with friends.
“Inclusivity, I mean, it’s as simple as that,” Davis said. “The more accessible it is for everyone, the better it is.”
Families from across Baldwin also will be welcomed to use the playground outside of school hours. Mignella said that broader access can give children a place to step away from cellphones and other electronic devices and spend time outdoors interacting with one another.
The funding grew out of conversations between Mignella and Davis that began nearly a year ago, after Baldwin became part of Davis’s legislative district. The county legislator said he wanted to familiarize himself with the newer communities he represented and learn more about local priorities.
Last fall, Davis toured the school district and visited Brookside, where he saw the recreation area. The visit led to discussions about replacing the school’s aging playground and, eventually, a funding proposal from the district.
For Davis, the project stood out because its reach extends beyond the school day. He said the investment addressed several priorities at once, creating a safe place for children to exercise and spend time outdoors while providing a recreational resource for the surrounding neighborhood.
“It’s sort of barren otherwise in terms of areas to play,” Davis said. “I thought it would really be a magnet for the community.”
The grant comes from a pool of county funding that legislators can direct toward projects in the areas they represent. Davis said each legislator receives an annual allocation and determines where the money would have the greatest impact. The funding awarded to Baldwin is specifically designated for the Brookside project and cannot be used for any other purpose.
Davis said he views investments in public schools as an appropriate use of county resources because schools often serve a broader role in their neighborhoods. He added that part of his role as a legislator is to recognize where county resources could make a difference.
Mignella said the district is planning to use the $150,000 grant to cover the entire cost of the project. If additional funding becomes available, officials could potentially expand the scope, he said.
“There’s no impact on the taxpayers in the community,” Mignella said.
While much of the design will be dictated by safety and insurance requirements, the district also hopes the children who will use the equipment will have a voice in shaping the finished space, Mignella said.
Architects and the district’s insurance company will help determine which equipment can be safely installed, but students will have an opportunity to weigh in on the features they would like to include.
“We’d love to get student input in terms of what they would like to see in the playground,” Mignella said.
Before installation can begin, the district must complete the remaining steps of the county's grant process. The Nassau County Legislature has approved the allocation, but additional administrative requirements remain. Mignella said the district is awaiting final documentation that will allow the project to move forward.
No construction or completion date has been set. But when students eventually step onto the new playground, Mignella said, he hopes the impact will be easy to see.
“I hope that they are smiling, that they are laughing, that they are learning to collaborate with each other, that their imaginations are being utilized,” he said.
