Jose Manuel Collazo Playground

N Mascher Street, Philadelphia, PA 19133

In partnership with the Trust for Public Lands, HACE leveraged private and public funds for capital improvements to the Jose Collazo Playground which is adjacent to Villas del Caribe. HACE led the community engagement efforts to assure that each segment of the neighborhood (youth, elders and adults) expressed their priorities and programing needs for the playground. Capital improvements included: creation of a water park, new handball and basketball courts, new playground equipment, rain gardens to collect storm water runoff, seating and fencing. Project partners included: Trust for Public Lands, Councilwoman Quiñones-Sanchez’ office, Philadelphia Water Department, Department of Recreation, Handball Association and residents of the Caribe Development Zone.

In addition, HACE was awarded An Art Place grant from National Endowment for the Arts for planning and developing of a neighborhood-wide creative place making process that contributed to the transformation of this playground. The project included the development of art-based interventions at Jose Manuel Collazo Park and the Cramp School to reinforce the link between the sites and the immediate community through art installations and signage to further support this space for the community.