DUMFRIES, Va. – The folks at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington just told Potomac Local News they’ve teamed up with Amazon and KABOOM! to open a brand-new playspace and sport court at the General Heiser Boys & Girls Club—and it’s already making a big splash in the community.
More than 100 volunteers pitched in last Friday, September 12, to build the playground, which will serve about 500 local kids each year. What’s extra special? Ideas from local children shaped the design.
At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, community leaders, including Potomac District Supervisor Andrea Bailey, highlighted how the new space addresses recreational inequity in the historic Dumfries area. Amazon, which helped fund and staff the build, says it’s part of its push to support neighborhood projects where its employees live and work.
This project also supports Prince William County’s bigger goal of expanding access to safe, quality play areas for all residents.
Here’s the full press release:
Hi Potomac Local team,
On Friday, September 12, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington (BGCGW) and Amazon hosted a successful playspace construction and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the General Heiser Boys & Girls Club in Dumfries. The new community playspace and sport court is now complete and ready to serve 500 local children annually!
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Over 100 Amazon and community volunteers participated in the construction
Local children’s design ideas were incorporated into the final sport court plans
Amazon, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, and KABOOM! volunteers constructed the playspace
County Supervisor Andrea Bailey and other community leaders attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony
The new playspace directly addresses recreational inequity in the communityAVAILABLE RESOURCES
Photos from the construction and ribbon-cutting ceremony (attached)
Interview opportunities with spokespersons from Boys & Girls Clubs, Amazon, and KABOOM!
Full quotes from community leaders (see below)COMMUNITY IMPACT
Playgrounds provide a free, safe, and engaging space for people of all ages to build and nurture social connections and enhance community well-being. Unfortunately, not all communities have access to safe, quality places to play.
This collaborative effort represents a significant step in addressing playspace inequity in Prince William County, particularly benefiting children in the historic Dumfries area. The project aligns with the county’s master plan to expand and revitalize its parks and recreation facilities, with a focus on equal access for all residents.
QUOTES FROM COMMUNITY LEADERS
“This is important because it gives our young people more opportunity. This project is such an upgrade from what it was initially. We now have a brand new basketball court that can serve more kids. I just think that it’s going to be such a benefit, it’s going to be a draw for us to get more kids. The most compelling part is that this project shows exactly how a community can come together, whether it’s Boys and Girls Club, Amazon, KABOOM!, our board members, our staff – the culmination, is this great product that you see today.” – Jim Almond, Senior Vice President of Operations and Safety, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington
“What this project will do is give our children, our youth, an opportunity to have a better quality of life, more exercise, more teamwork in their community. They’ll learn how to play together, how to trust together, how to work together. And I want to thank Amazon for thinking so much of Prince William County that you came to do this KABOOM project in this historical community named Dumfries. I am the County Supervisor that serves in this wonderful community, and I thank you for your partnership. I thank you for your focus and your leadership. I thank you for the great KABOOM! that you did here in Prince William.” – Andrea Bailey, Potomac District Supervisor, Vice Chair Board of County Supervisors
“As a member of the Northern Virginia community, Amazon is proud to partner with KABOOM! and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington to refurbish the playground and sport court at the General Heiser Club. We believe all kids deserve amazing places to play, and look forward to continuing our hyperlocal social initiatives where our employees work, live and play!” – Wilberte Paul, Community Engagement Manager, Amazon
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