Zoe wasn’t walking across the cherished grounds of Roselle Park as her mom tried to keep up. She was doing the kind of sprint kids do when there’s something exciting afoot. That was because the brand-new Roselle Park playground was officially complete!
It’s not just the playground that draws locals and visitors alike. On any given afternoon, Roselle Park is teeming with activity: a softball game in one corner, preteens shooting hoops in another, a couple enjoying a picnic under the shade, and parents and nannies chatting and watching kids climb, swing, and explore.
The park is central to community life in the quaint Roselle School neighborhood, and with the new playground complete, the hood just got that much more adorable.
“It’s beautiful,” said Pleasantville resident Peter Damilatus, who was visiting the park with his three happy-to-be-there kids.
He was one of dozens of volunteers who showed up rain and shine to help assemble the playground in time for summer. “We definitely needed the replacing. The old equipment had a lot of wear and tear,” he said. “This is just awesome. It’s safe, brand new, and gorgeous.”
Mike Newman, Pleasantville’s Superintendent of Recreation and a father of two young kids himself, echoed that pride. “They had a crew of professionals organizing it, and the community powered through. Same as with Nannahagen,” said Newman. “It was a real community effort.”
“We put out a mailer looking for volunteers to help design the playground and we were astounded by the response when 50 to 60 people signed up,” Newman shared. “We ended up selecting a fantastic group of eight community members who worked on everything from equipment choices to colors.”
The goal? “Replacing old with bigger, better, and more creative options,” he said. The Roselle Park upgrades followed those at Nannahagen Park, and an upcoming renovation is coming soon to Soldiers and Sailors Field.
Roselle’s new playground is bursting with innovative features. Kids can climb a massive “Global Motion” spinner, wobble across a twisting “Oodle Swing”, a boat-style swing, and discover ways to tackle the climbing structures. Even adults can lounge in the boat swing if they’re so inclined; when this reporter visited, one local dad was gently rocking his infant there – a reminder that the park is for everyone.
“We wanted to introduce multiple ways to climb, swing, and explore, plus have equipment that’s attractive, safe and ADA accessible,” said Newman.
The total cost for the three playground projects – Roselle, Nannahagen, and Soldiers and Sailors Field – was about $240,000. A $270,000 grant secured through former Assemblyman Tom Abinanti’s office helped cover the bulk of it, with additional funding from the village.
When I asked Zoe’s mom what she thought of the new space, she didn’t hesitate.
“You’ll get a better answer for that if you ask Zoe,” she said. Well, of course!
“I love it!” Zoe beamed, taking off for one of the slides.
