Playground Captains

Playground Captains are made up of dedicated members of the Central Park Playground Partners Committee. Every third Saturday, Playground Captains are stationed in 10 of Central Park’s most heavily trafficked playgrounds, promoting PGP by word of mouth and distribution of membership cards. Captains bring banners, email sign up sheets, and Central Park family activity information, along with hot chocolate, doughnuts, sidewalk chalk and other family friendly activities.

The Playground Captains program, which started in the early 1990’s and was revived in the fall of 2009, empowers families to work together to improve their local playground: their “backyard.” It is a great way to meet neighbors and build community ownership. Playground Captains promote teaching environmentalism and stewardship to children and families as a way of giving back to Central Park.

Central Park Playground Partners is a group of families dedicated to keeping Central Park’s 21 beloved playgrounds clean, safe, and well-maintained. Playground Partners has raised more than $5 million to fund a crew specifically responsible for caring for the playgrounds – duties such as maintaining equipment, regular safety inspections, cleaning sandboxes, removing litter and debris. Annually, the last Wednesday in May, Playground Partners holds it’s Annual Family Party in Heckscher Playground. This event features face-painting, music, and other Central Park themed activities for children of all ages.