BACK MOUNTAIN, Pa. — "Just something amazing like this come together. I find that really important for my community, my friends, and so many people."
That's what 11-year-old Callie Comstock of Dallas Township said while she was showing Newswatch 16 a few of her favorite things at this new, nature-themed playground in her neighborhood.
"I feel like, like something like that, it's cute and it's fun for her kids like me cuz I mean, it's a raccoon sticking out of tree, why not?" she said while pointing to a figurine molding into the framework of playground equipment.
The new park has two sets of equipment, one for 2 to 5 year-olds, and then one for children 6 to 12.
"And so it's really cool, they added like a fairy tale, little aspects with like these, these tall mushroom steps," added Callie, as she climbed, stood on one of the toadstools.
This playground is phase one of the Dallas township playground project folks with the township tell Newswatch 16 Phase two will be over here in this area. It will include an all-season hockey rink, basketball courts, more parking, and a pavilion with a kitchen for events.
"That's gonna be really awesome for engaging people into nature and curiosity and I feel those things are really important," added Callie.
The completed project so far was made possible by more than half a million dollars in state funding and private donations and also includes an amphitheater and a mud/dirt pit for playing.
"I think it's exceptionally unique because, and I feel like a lot of playgrounds should be naturalistic like this, because it really connects kids to nature, and a lot of kids, including me and I kind of regret saying that is kind of just like fixated on screens, all the time," continued Callie. "But I feel that we should try and explore and use our curiosity in nature as much as possible, so that's why I think this playground is so inspirational."
If you want to join in Callie's excitement here, you can find the park on Southside Ave in Dallas Township.