One slide and swing at a time, our church playground is helping children feel welcome! In 2023, First Church dedicated its accessible and inclusive playground so that all God’s children would have a safe and fun place to play.
Planning for the new playground began in July 2021 to replace the old, wooden playscape that had gradually deteriorated after years of enjoyment by several generations of children. The congregation elected to dedicate the new playground in honor of David Taylor’s retirement in June 2022, after his 40 years in ministry, including 20 years at First Church.
One of the four initiatives of the capital campaign was funding for the church campus, including this new playground for the children of the whole community. First Church was awarded a $42,000 grant from Hartford Foundation for Public Giving’s Norma and Natale Sestero Fund, serving Glastonbury residents, to supplement the funding of the inclusive and accessible playground.
The Rev. David T. Taylor Playground aims to decrease barriers to enjoyable and safe play. Accessibility involves creating a playground that is usable by everyone, and this playground makes a statement about how First Church values meaningful play experiences for people of all ages and abilities. All are welcome!