New CBJ-themed playground to have big impact at YWCA shelter

We can almost guarantee you’ve never quite seen a playground like this.

Composed of three different areas to allow children of all ages to have fun, the new playground at the YWCA Family Center in Columbus doesn’t look like the kind of place you grew up with.

There’s the Safe and Sound Playground, an age-appropriate soft play area for children ages 0-5; the Daycare Playground, which looks like a much more traditional playground for children ages 5-12; and last but not least, the Sports Court, a multiuse court to engage children in active and organized play. It’s all possible in part because of a $326,000 grant from the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation dedicated in 2022, as well as contributions from other members of the Columbus community.

And that’s a great thing for the YWCA, which provides an essential service for kids and families in need in Central Ohio.

“We have something for everybody, and I think that’s really important,” Elizabeth Brown, president and CEO of YWCA Columbus, said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony last Thursday. “It’s a whole new chapter in the ways in which we can serve the kids who are staying with us.”

That’s especially important because the kids who are there are in a time of need. In 2005, the YWCA responded to a community call to take over emergency shelter and services for families without homes. Many are working poor and unable to meet high housing costs; many are women raising children alone.

The 50-room Family Center offers these families – around 500 per year, with more than 900 children – safety and support, including three meals a day and a place to sleep. Families can also utilize job and housing search resources and transportation services as well as the facility’s child-care program. 

Considering all that’s going on in kids’ lives when they’re at the facility, the chance to get outside and play on the Blue Jackets-branded playground is a welcome respite.

“It’s really bringing a great opportunity for enrichment in outdoor play to our children here,” said Makiva McIntosh, chief advancement and engagement officer at YWCA Columbus. “Of course, living in shelters can be a difficult time, so this is bringing normalcy, and we know how much play impacts mental health and growth and just bringing joy. 

“For our children and our parents, to have the opportunity to get outside, stretch your legs, get fresh air, this is providing a great opportunity to introduce normalcy to our community.”

There’s no mistaking the Blue Jackets Foundation’s impact on the project as well, including the CBJ Zamboni that kids can play on as well as the Stinger statue on the premises. There’s also traditional playground equipment for play, and the CBJ-branded sport court can be used for activities from basketball to street hockey.

There was also a special activity on the day of the reopening, as former Blue Jackets defenseman Aaron Johnson made an appearance to play street hockey with the kids on hand. Afterward, all of the equipment used was donated to the facility.

For the CBJ Foundation, pairing with YWCA Columbus was a no-brainer considering safe and active play for Central Ohio children is one of the pillars of their work.

“The Foundation is thrilled to be able to partner with such a wonderful organization like the YWCA Columbus,” said Andee Cochren, executive director of the foundation and senior director of fan development and community programs. “Looking around you, you see this beautiful, reimagined Blue Jackets hockey-themed play space for the kids, and seeing them run around with smiles on their faces is truly rewarding.”

In addition to the grant from the Blue Jackets Foundation, multiple local partners helped make the project possible, including Nationwide Insurance. It was actually Cindy Walker, the wife of Nationwide CEO Kirt Walker, who suggested the YWCA Family Center could use a major playground upgrade, setting in motion a project that will make an impact on hundreds of lives.

“What an incredible thing,” Kirt Walker said. “It’s all about the kids, and that’s always been true from Nationwide’s standpoint. We’re mission-driven – we're about protecting people, businesses and futures with extraordinary care. There’s nothing more important in that group than families and children.

“You look at everyone here, they have a story. Everyone has a situation. This is not a handout, it’s a hand up. Some people are having a hard moment in their life, and I’m proud to be associated with helping these people get back on the right track.”

It’s what Walker calls “the Columbus way,” everyone coming together to make great things come to life.

“Everyone pitched in in the community to make this happen,” Brown said. “So many people put their hand in and said we want to help.”