Elementary school students in Harlem celebrated the transformation of their schoolyard from a cracked asphalt lot into a dynamic new playground. But it.s not the jungle gym, basketball court, synthetic turf field or sprinklers that makes the playground special.it.s the fact that a committee of fifth graders was an integral part of the design team. The Steven Pabai Memorial Playground, located at Public School 180, will be open to the broader community after school hours. The $1 million project, funded by the Trust for Public Land (TPL) and the New York Department of Education, is the first of 25 similar playgrounds TPL and the city plan to build.

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit organization that conserves land for people to improve the quality of life in our communities and to protect our natural and historic resources for future generations. City Spaces targets New York City neighborhoods least served by the current park system. TPL has created or enhanced more than 250 neighborhood parks in New York City, investing roughly $200 million in land purchases and in the design, construction, and stewardship of parks. For more information, visit www.tpl.org/newyorkcity.