Kenner Special Playground
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3800 Loyola Dr., Kenner, LA
Kenner Special Playground, while designed for children with special needs, will be a place for children of all abilities to play together.
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Fundraising strategy
October 07, 2010 / by Maria Bourgeois
We knew with a big project like this we'd have to raise a lot of money, but luckily as a Parks and Recreation Dept, we have (if not the funds) the capacity, the infrastructure and the history behind us to apply for large grants. We applied for the federal Land & Water Conservation Fund grant that is administered at the state level (in each state), and this year we were awarded. Before applying of course there was a lot of planning that went into putting the project together, and the city is still responsible for 50% of the cost, but this is a HUGE help. For the remainder of costs we will be looking at smaller grants, community donations, and the non-profit Kenner Community Dream Builders has already raised some funds.
See All CommentsHundreds of communities created videos showing why they need a new playground. Five of these communities will receive a $15,000 grant from Let's Play!
Watch NowA playground can be built in a day, but it takes months of planning and hard work. To get there, we've broken this complex process into eight key steps, or Mile Markers, as you can see in this road map.
Of course, planning such a large project takes teamwork. Within each Mile Marker, the Project Leader and eight planning teams, outlined below, complete key tasks, ensuring that no stone is left unturned.
If everyone on the planning committee follows the roadmap and keeps on top of their tasks, they will make building a playground look easy on the big day!
Flash required.
Building a playground doesn't happen alone. It is indeed a team effort. Find out more about the role of the project leader and all of the teams who work together to make playground dreams come true.


Maria Bourgeois
403 points
Kenner, LA
Fundraising strategy
We knew with a big project like this we'd have to raise a lot of money, but luckily as a Parks and Recreation Dept, we have (if not the funds) the capacity, the infrastructure and the history behind us to apply for large grants. We applied for the federal Land & Water Conservation Fund grant that is administered at the state level (in each state), and this year we were awarded. Before applying of course there was a lot of planning that went into putting the project together, and the city is still responsible for 50% of the cost, but this is a HUGE help. For the remainder of costs we will be looking at smaller grants, community donations, and the non-profit Kenner Community Dream Builders has already raised some funds.
Posted: October 07, 2010 at 04:56 PM
Maria Bourgeois
403 points
Kenner, LA
KaBOOM! Toolkit
I attended a We Play! Workshop a couple years ago and these are the steps that helped me the most during planning.
Posted: October 06, 2010 at 03:24 PM
Maria Bourgeois replied:
Road Map - I'm very organized and I like maps in general, so this helped lay everything out for me in sequence and in a step-by-step, easy to follow manner.
http://kaboom.org/build_playspace/toolkit/road_map
Fundraising - This section was also helpful because while I've worked with grants before, I've never solicited small business donations or held a fundraising event so this was a good introduction.
http://kaboom.org/build_playspace/toolkit/fundraising/getting_local_business_contribute
Community Involvement - This was probably the section that helped the most because KaBOOM! reps suggested people in the community I hadn't thought about before and how they can be involved.
http://kaboom.org/build_playspace/toolkit/community_involvement/identify_your_assets
Posted: October 06, 2010 at 03:34 PM
Maria Bourgeois
403 points
Kenner, LA
People & groups that can help our project
We have involved city officials, teachers, parents, school administrators, orthopedists, pediatricians and other community members in our planning process. We can also involve local businesses, religious groups, adults with disabilities, civic associations, the media and children!
Posted: October 06, 2010 at 03:10 PM
Maria Bourgeois
403 points
Kenner, LA
Vendor Research
We researched many vendors, including Game Time, Play & Park Structures, many of those listed on the Kaboom site, as well as a few endorsed by Boundless Playgrounds. We decided on Little Tykes because they had a model that was close to what we were looking for. With a few edits, we have chosen a model (see photos).
Posted: September 01, 2010 at 04:36 PM
Nate Rosenthal replied:
It looks like a really cool structure! Congrats on selecting your playground equipment design. Will you be assembling components with volunteers?
Posted: September 03, 2010 at 12:59 PM
Maria Bourgeois replied:
I don't think ours will be a community build, as we were lucky enough to be awarded with a grant (Land & Water Conservation Fund). This will cover half our expenses, but the community has been and will continue to be an important part of this project in other ways.
Posted: October 06, 2010 at 02:59 PM
Nate Rosenthal replied:
That's great to hear that you've been awarded with a grant and that you're well on your way! I'm so glad to hear that things are going smoothly.
Just an FYI - community builds can save a lot of money (up to 40%), are often completed faster than contractor installs (most take about 6 hours plus a few days prep work), are just as professionally installed (volunteers do the grunt work, while a professional oversees the final assembly, and leaves the community with a feeling of ownership which increases use and decreases vandalism and maintenance costs. It's definitely something worth thinking about!
Posted: October 12, 2010 at 03:49 PM
Maria Bourgeois
403 points
Kenner, LA
Project Site
The playground will be built at Kenner City Park at 3800 Loyola Ave. We, the City of Kenner Parks and Recreation Dept, own the land, and there are already features built here. There is a large pavilion, a walking track which will be extended in later phases, a tot lot, ponds and wildlife.
Posted: September 01, 2010 at 04:22 PM
Maria Bourgeois
403 points
Kenner, LA
Project Beginning
The City of Kenner and Kenner Community Dream Builders, Inc. want to build a playground where children of all abilities can play together. There are so many children in the surrounding area (9.5% in Kenner) with disabilities and no playground of this kind that we decided to try to build one. The project has been in the planning stages for quite some time, but we have recently taken the next few steps to create a model, get the community involved, and begin fundraising. Here's to completing the playground!
Posted: September 01, 2010 at 04:10 PM
Nate Rosenthal replied:
Wow - what a fantastic project and vision around it. Great to hear that you're already well along in your project. If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to ask. I'd love to get involved in any way that I can.
Posted: September 03, 2010 at 12:58 PM