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Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and city officials celebrated the opening last week of the Cross & Strauss Playground on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

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The new playground includes two separate play areas aimed at children between the ages of two to five years and five-12 years, respectively. Additionally, there are swings, picnic tables, a poured-in-place safety surface, and a half basketball court.

“Playgrounds are part of a community’s effort to nurture our children in becoming better adults,” Gainey said. “So that when they grow up, they understand how to work together with people who have different ideas and that’s what we have right here. Everyone came together because we knew we needed a playground and we made it happen and that is the power of community and collaboration.”

The new playground is part of a larger effort to re-invest in the Charles Street Area of the North Side, which has seen generational disinvestment. Other efforts in the area include traffic calming, new trash cans, and the Fowler Park & Pool.

The playground was selected as a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development CHOICE project for early action projects that serve the Allegheny Dwellings Community. It was done in partnership with the Charles Street Area Corporation, Perry Hilltop/Fineview Citizens Council, and Tthe Buhl Foundation.