A new inclusive playground has officially opened in Pulaski Township, giving kids of all abilities a fresh place to climb, swing and play in New Bedford. The township marked the milestone with a grand-opening ribbon-cutting celebration Saturday at Pulaski Township Park, located at 238 School House Road.
According to New Castle News, the playground project was paid for with a $64,500 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, with Pulaski Township providing a $34,500 match. Together, the public investment brought the total cost of the project to $99,000. The outlet reports the project began in January 2025, before the new equipment opened to the public.
The state grant comes through a program that funds public park and recreation facilities, including playgrounds. For municipalities with 5,000 residents or fewer, DCNR’s Small Community grants generally range from $60,000 to $100,000; the first $30,000 requires no match, while amounts above that typically require a dollar-for-dollar match. That formula helps explain how a state grant and township contribution can combine to finance a local park project. DCNR’s grant guidelines describe the program’s eligible projects and match rules.
A Playground Designed for Every Child
The new playground includes a handicap-accessible walkway, allowing children and families using mobility devices to move through the space alongside everyone else. Virginia Zinza said she is excited about having a safe, accessible place for children and families to enjoy for years to come, per the same report.
Pulaski’s project is part of a broader push to make Pennsylvania parks more welcoming to children with different abilities. In 2024, DCNR celebrated a $1 million inclusive playground and picnic-plaza project at Brightbill Park in Lower Paxton Township, supported by a $520,000 state grant. Its features included a sound garden, a wheelchair-accessible picnic table and a paved path connecting to a wooded-area trail—showing how inclusive design can extend beyond play equipment to the surrounding park experience. The state’s account of the Brightbill Park project details those amenities.
Saturday's celebration doubled as a family-oriented event, with appearances by Pulaski Township's fire and police departments joining the festivities at the park. The turnout reflected a community milestone years in the making, following the project's 2025 start.
More Upgrades Planned for the Park
Township officials aren't stopping at the playground. Future park projects reportedly include dredging work for the pond, improvements to the park building such as new flooring, new benches and picnic tables, and a walking trail. A dog park is also planned, and a local Girl Scouts troop would make the dog park, per the article.
Pulaski's new playground arrives as a similar effort takes shape elsewhere in Lawrence County. At Shenango Community Park, a planned inclusive playground called Declyn's Dream recently received a boost when the 12 graduating students of the latest Leadership Lawrence County class donated $24,000 toward the project, according to New Castle News. That money was raised during the program year and through a gun raffle fundraiser, the outlet reported, suggesting inclusive play spaces are becoming a broader priority across the region.
