Multimillion-dollar, ADA-compliant playground renovation planned in Squirrel Hill
'As pioneers in creating one of Pittsburgh’s first accessible play areas, we remain committed to providing exceptional and accessible facilities for the children, families and communities we serve'
A familiar playground is getting a facelift. The Children’s Institute, located on the corner of Shady and Wilkins avenues, announced the start of a “multimillion-dollar” project to create a recreational space for children of all abilities.
Slated to begin construction in the coming weeks, the project will enable students and users of the Squirrel Hill facility to enjoy age-appropriate spaces compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to Billi Jo Huffman, chief school administrator at The Day School at The Children’s Institute.
The current play area, which locals affectionately call “The Froggy Park,” due to the site’s inclusion of a large green plastic cover resembling a frog’s face, is due for a remodel.
“Our playground is incredibly old,” Huffman said of the play space, which is situated closer to Northumberland Avenue and Denniston Street on The Children’s Institute campus. “We were running into some problems with equipment breaking and the ground covering separating; it was creating more of an unsafe environment that didn’t allow for all of our individuals to truly benefit from the space that we have out there.”
The new playground will be designed with an awareness that users range in age from 5 to 21, she said. “We really wanted to incorporate everybody’s interest and have something that could increase their opportunity to socialize with their peers, as well as provide age-appropriate play and activities for them to engage in during the course of their time here with us, as well as things that could add some type of therapeutic benefit to their program.”
Established in 1902, The Children’s Institute provides outpatient physical and behavioral health services, as well as those related to education, autism, early intervention and family support.
During fiscal year 2023, the organization served 8,544 children and families, and provided more than $4.9 million in uncompensated care, according to tax filings.
Recognition of various constituents drove the playground planning process, Huffman explained.
Conversations involved needs and wants, she said. “Best case scenario, if we had all of the wishes in the world, what could we create?” Ultimately, the decision reached is an “amazing design that provides opportunities for many different ability levels as well as many different age levels.”
Upon completion, the playground will boast climbing areas, stepping stones, swings supporting users with various mobility needs and a designated walking space.
As for the latter, “We have some of our older students that just want to take a stroll, and they just kind of want to walk with their friends and chat with their friends while they’re out on the playground facility,” Huffman said.
While the current playground has a tiered topography, the new area will “be as level as it can be,” she added.
Along with individuals served by The Children’s Institute, “community partners and other organizations will also have opportunities to benefit from the feature-rich outdoor learning environment,” according to a June 25 announcement from the organization.
Rabbi Mordy Rudloph, executive director of Friendship Circle of Pittsburgh, praised The Children’s Institute for adding “one more accessible space for our community to utilize.”
Years ago, before Friendship Circle’s relocation to Murray Avenue and Bartlett Street, the two organizations “used to be neighbors in proximity” he said. “Now we’re community neighbors.”
“The Children’s Institute serves a very special role in our community,” Rudolph continued. “As part of our development and growth, we have been able to look to what they do and try to complement it.” Creating a new ADA-accessible space that allows children of all abilities to thrive is something Friendship Circle is “honored to support.”
Whereas community members have long utilized The Children Institute’s playground for after-school activities or Shabbat afternoon hangouts, such gatherings are not guaranteed in the days ahead.
“I’m not 100% sure if it will continue the way that it has over the past or if there will be some changes,” Huffman said. “Our number one priority is making sure that our individuals that we serve are safe — and they have a space that will keep them safe — and they’ll be able to have fun in the playground space. But we also have a lot of community partners that we have worked with in the past, so there may be some opportunities there.”
“As pioneers in creating one of Pittsburgh’s first accessible play areas, we remain committed to providing exceptional and accessible facilities for the children, families and communities we serve,” Barry Shepard, interim CEO of The Children’s Institute, said in a prepared statement. “This innovative learning space marks a significant step forward in our 123-year mission to provide best-in-class care.”
Costs for the remodel were not released, though Huffman called it a “multimillion-dollar” endeavor. “We have had some donations and some significant donations from area families that have worked with us in the past.”
The takeaway, Huffman said, is “just the ability for all of the students that I serve here in The Day School [to] have the same opportunity to engage in meaningful social play activities while they’re here within our program. It’s really providing an opportunity without limitations and restrictions, regardless of their ability levels.”
A community ribbon cutting ceremony is planned for spring 2026. PJC
Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
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