Playgrounds at Norwin’s four elementary schools and its intermediate school would be replaced and upgraded through an ambitious initiative undertaken by Norwin PTA committees seeking to raise $600,000 over the next few years.

The PTAs from the elementary schools and Hillcrest Intermediate School have joined with the school district and the Norwin School District Community Foundation, a fundraising arm of the district, in launching the Project Playground initiative.

“We are looking at this as not only a school (playground) project, but a community project,” which would be available for children to use after-school hours, said Cindy Corder, co-chair of the recently-formed Playground Project committee and president of the Hillcrest Intermediate School PTA.

Norwin’s 10-year master facilities study determined the playgrounds, which were built to about 15 years ago, will need to be replaced in the next several years, according to the facilities study from VEBH Architects of Mt. Lebanon.

“We wanted to do this (improve playgrounds) for the social, mental and physical wellness of the children … especially with what is going on now,” said Corder, referencing the covid crisis that has so impacted students since March 2020.

The district hopes to be able to upgrade the playground at Hahntown Elementary in the 2022-2023 school year, said Jeff Taylor, Norwin superintendent. The facilities study suggests upgrades to the playgrounds at Sheridan Terrace Elementary and Sunset Valley Elementary schools in the following year, followed by Stewartsville Elementary’s playground.

As for the recreational area at Hillcrest Intermediate, Taylor said they envision an interactive area that would be age appropriate.

Any improvements or updates to the playground equipment would have to involve “developmentally appropriate, Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant playground equipment for primary students (kindergarten-2nd grade), intermediate students (third and fourth graders) and students with physical handicaps or special needs,” the district said.

Creating a new playground is not inexpensive. It likely will cost about $100,000 for the new playground equipment, said Tiffany Holder, a co-chair on the Playground Project committee and a Hahntown Elementary PTA member.

They envision that each school playground will be different, with input from the district, teachers, parents and students, Corder said.

In order to reach their goal, Corder said they will be seeking sponsorships for playground equipment, conduct small games of chance and possibly movie nights at Knights Stadium.

“This is not (a project) where you raise money by selling hoagies,” Corder told about 10 PTA representatives during a recent committee meeting.

Norwin has approximately 2,610 elementary school students, according to the district. If each of those students raised $60 in the first year, the project would have $156,000, Corder said.

“I know this is a huge undertaking for all of us,” Corder said.

The first fundraiser is a walk-a-thon Oct. 4-6 in which students will walk laps around Knights Stadium in return for getting money from pledges they have collected. Younger students likely will have a shorter course.

“We want to make it a fun and healthy event,” Corder said.

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