Volunteers build new playground in Bridgeport

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) -- Hundreds of volunteers came together in Bridgeport to help build a new playground.

The non-profit called Kaboom is behind the venture, which will eventually build 150 such playgrounds across the country this year.  

If you build it, they will come. That's what the more than 200 volunteers at Friendship Park in Bridgeport hope will happen when their day is done. Together they're building a playground for the city's kids.

"It's really, really special. I mean we really hope, this is a community built model, we hope it's a catalyst to really continue to do things for kids," said Evan Mynatt, from Kaboom. "This space needed a playground, and so we really were able to come together and rally around the central plan and build a playground for these kids, who need it."

The new playground, which is going in right across the street from an elementary school, will be open to the public. Some young students stopped by to thank the community for building them a place to play.

"Thank you Kaboom," they said.

For the kids who go to the charter school, they couldn't be any more excited for the playground to go in, because a concrete driveway, until now, has been their playground. The kids are going to have access to swings, slides, and all the things they've never had before.

"Um, the swings," one child said.

"Are you excited to play here," News 8's Ali Reed asked him.

"Yes," he replied.

"They're going to be out here playing for many, many years because of this barn-raising you've got going on here today," said Bridgeport's Mayor Bill Finch.

"It's all about the kids and this morning we had two kids from the achievement school speak, first grade children, reading at a third grade level didn't have a playground, so what an amazing thing to do for them," said Paul Blanco, from Barnum Financial Group.

The playground was actually designed by students and will be open for play Friday afternoon.