By Elise Koebl (’22)
Houghton College has had its doors open to many different kinds of visitors. Whether they are prospective students, families, or friends, many have enjoyed what the college has to offer. Now, Houghton College is opening the doors wider to young children who visit with their families. Amanda Zambrano and the college have been working with the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation and KABOOM! over the past few years. “The idea grows out of the Play Everywhere Challenge through the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and KABOOM! The challenge is to transform places where children naturally gather and help them incorporate play into their everyday lives,” said Zambrano. The KPAC KidsZone is planned to open in the triangular grassy area behind the bleachers at Burke Field during the summer alumni weekend, July 31st-August 1st.
Their first priority is, of course, safety. Zambrano stated that they plan to install fencing around the underside of the bleachers, keeping kids from playing in a dangerous space with little visibility for supervision. Zambrano also mentioned they intend to put up a “natural border” to deter kids from wandering into the parking lot.
“While I have personal interest in this project because I have little ones of my own, there were a number of factors that played into Houghton’s pursuit of this funding opportunity. Until the playground opened by the Field of Dreams, there were only two public playgrounds in Allegany County (data courtesy of the Wilson Foundation’s State of Play report), making Allegany County children some of the most underserved children in Western New York as regards to places to play. Our children also don’t get enough outdoor play time or physical activity. Houghton providing this kind of access is an important way for us to benefit our community and the children who live here,” Zabrano said. This interest to create a playspace for children is so that children have a space to use their imaginations and play within an area their parents and families can watch them safely. ★
