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Next meeting: Wednesday, August 29, Doylestown Township Meeting Room, Wells Road, 6:30 pm.
Click here to see our Tenth Anniversary website.
History: Kids Castle is an eight story wooden playground structure designed and named by children of the Central Bucks community through massive community involvement dating back to 1996. Thanks to the efforts of over three thousand dedicated volunteers and the generosity of numerous sponsors, Kids Castle became a reality on Sunday, June 22, 1997. Volunteers young and old have come together throughout the years to work side by side with architects, artists, the school district and area businesses to bring the children's vision of a dream playground to life and to keep it alive. The Friends of Kids Castle committee has raised over $400,000 in this timeframe, recruited thousands of volunteers and acquisitioned countless tools, construction materials, tents, trailers, food service, and even volunteer child care when necessary. This culminated in the monumental task of constructing a world class and nationally recognized playground right here is Doylestown Central Park. But a playground of this stature has a limited lifespan, which we are approaching in the next couple of years.
Current Situation: Kids Castle recently celebrated its 15th anniversary, however recent inspections and surveys of the castle indicate that the existing structure is in it's final years. At this point in time, it requires immediate attention and aid despite regular and thorough maintenance by the Doylestown Township staff. Giving the castle's wooden structure, 15 years of wear and tear has caused significant decay and damage. On May 7, 2012 an annual safety audit was conducted to assess the aspects of the castle in need of attention and repair. A recommended plan of action was then formulated, consisting of 38+ repairs, 23 of which required immediate attention taken by the maintenance staff to remove the hazards and risks. It is imperative to mention that all the current equipment on the playground is safe for play and in compliance with the safety inspection. The Doylestown Township Maintenance staff performs daily walk through inspections and regular wear and tear maintenance. The additional recommended repairs identified in the report are items to be addressed overtime. The overall purpose of the inspection audit was to make recommendations on improvements to extend the life of the playground structure. The action taken by the Friends of Kids Castle to develop a capital campaign and design initiative came directly from the recommendations in the report that in order to continue to keep the playground in compliance on all safety issues action should be taken now to address the aging facility needs before it becomes imminent. (Pro-active vs. re-active)
Our Position: For many members of our community, Kids Castle has represented a staple in their lives and provided endless memories and experiences that will never be forgotten. The Friends of Kids Castle Committee recognizes this and wishes to continue to allow Kids Castle to be available to the youth of our community. However, the long list of the inspection recommendations has left the committee feeling highly unlikely that Kids Castle can be saved without the help and financial support of the community and the official approval of Doylestown Township Board of Directors to start a capital campaign.
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