By Staff News Transcript
MANALAPAN — Municipal officials recently dedicated a new playground at the Manalapan Recreation Center, Route 522.
According to a press release, the Township Committee and the Parks and Recreation Department were selected as the 2013 recipients of the Michael Allen Davidson Foundation (M.A.D.) playground donation.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Oct. 19 to dedicate the new unit and to open the playground for use by the public.
Present at the ceremony were Ellen and Jeff Davidson of the M.A.D. Foundation, Mayor Susan Cohen, Deputy Mayor Jordan Maskowitz, Committeeman Ryan Green, Committeeman Jack McNaboe, Director of Public Works Alan Spector, Superintendent of Roads Troy Davis, Superintendent of Parks and Recreation Mona Cholowinski, Recreation Advisory Board Chairwoman Rebecca Ginsberg and Recreation Advisory Board member Diana Peraza-Cochran.
The M.A.D. 9/11 Foundation donates playgrounds to area organizations in memory of Michael Davidson and the more than 3,000 individuals who were killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, as well as to honor the men and women protecting Americans’ freedoms.
The foundation addresses the need for social, economic and religious tolerance through the education of youth, coupled with the restoration of recreation facilities in remembrance of those lost, according to the press release.
The new area in Manalapan is the first M.A.D. playground that was designed for children with special needs.
According to the press release, the members of the Township Committee felt strongly that the unit be created with that specialization to fill a need in the community. The committee matched the donation so that a larger, more diverse piece of equipment could be purchased.
Finally, public works employees were able to install the playground, saving thousands of dollars that would have otherwise been spent on the task, according to the press release.
The new playground is on the Dreyer tract in the Manalapan Recreation Center. Although the playground is designed for the special needs population, children of all abilities are welcome to use the equipment, which was created specifically for youngsters ages 5 through 9.
