After years of planning and days of volunteers spending their time in Ernie Davis park, the new playground in Elmira is almost ready for kids to take over.

What You Need To Know

  • Ernie Davis Park in Elmira is getting a new playground.
  • Volunteer builders have spent the week making sure it gets finished.
  • Currently, five playgrounds are open in the city due to COVID-19.
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“The park has been in some much needed revitalization," said Linda Sowers, project coordinator.

From metal to plastic and wood, Elmira’s newest playground is almost complete. Ernie Davis Park is the last one to be upgraded of the city's 21 parks.

“So I've been in this position for two years and one of the first things we started talking about was Ernie Davis Park. It is [here and] it's finally getting done [which] is very exciting to see," said Emma Miran, community development director.

The new playground was created by the community; from fundraising to public input.

“What a lot of people wanted was an all inclusive playground that would be accessible to everyone, so we ended up getting an all-inclusive ADA compliant merry go round," said Miran.

Community volunteers are what made the playground come to life this week.

“There’s nothing more satisfying than knowing that you helped," said Caranell Parks, a volunteer with the project.

Parks has a new grandchild and is looking forward to the day they can play on what he built.

“Absolutely, I can tell them what I put in I can just tell them every piece of board I screwed in haha absolutely," said Parks.

“What’s going to be really special about that more than anything is that ya know the families themselves can say we were a part of this," said Sowers.

Community members are hoping extra volunteers show up for the final day of construction Sunday. Due to pandemic restrictions, there are currently five playgrounds open to kids in the city. They are sanitized daily.