Recognizing Smith Playground and Playhouse.

WHEREAS, Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse is a beloved landmark in Philadelphia and a unique organization nationally which opened to the public in 1899 and was a national model for a playground movement that swept the nation at the end of the 19th Century; and

WHEREAS, Thousands of Philadelphians have treasured Smith for generations, and today the organization welcomes an annual audience of 140,000 visitors free of charge from nearly every zip code in Philadelphia and surrounding communities; and

WHEREAS, Children who visit Smith enjoy three floors of activities in a 24,000 square foot Playhouse; the 106-year old Ann Newman Giant Wooden Slide; a 6 ½ acre Playground with new outdoor play equipment designed for children of all abilities and tailored to different age ranges, including infants and toddlers; equipment and toys to inspire imagination, creativity, and social interaction; and unlimited opportunities for children and caregivers to enjoy quality time together; and

WHEREAS, Over the past eight years, generous supporters have enabled Smith to undertake major renovations in its facility and that have helped to make Smith one of the most exciting (and safest) play spaces anywhere for children ages 10 and younger. On September 30, 2011, Smith will receive an award from Preservation Pennsylvania, recognizing the excellent quality of its most recent phase of renovations; and

WHEREAS, In 2011, Smith is partnering with the Parent Child Center of the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia; Play In-between: Philadelphia Pocket Parks; the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children; and the Philadelphia Center for Psychoanalytic Education on a new project named The Philadelphia Declaration of Play; and

WHEREAS, The new local project aims to promote the importance of play for all children and is a call to action for adults to provide time and space for children to engage in unstructured play. The project kicks off on September 23, 2011 when stakeholders will gather at Smith to hear experts talk about the impact of play on children's physical and emotional health, and (like our founding fathers) will sign a the Declaration to show their support for the play project; and

WHEREAS, Additional educational and advocacy events are planned for the coming months and will be publicized through the presenting partners websites and social media; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphians have benefitted tremendously from Smith Playground and Playhouse; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby recognize Smith Playground and Playhouse.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Representatives of Smith Playground and Playhouse as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.

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