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Kids' Castle is an eight story wooden playground structure designed and named by children of the Central Bucks community through an art contest in 1996.
Volunteers young and old came together to work side by side with the architectural staff to bring the children's vision of a dream playground to life. Thanks to the efforts of over three thousand dedicated volunteers and the generosity of numerous sponsors, Kids Castle became a reality on Sunday, June 22, 1997.
The Kids Castle committee raised over $200,000, recruited volunteers and acquisitioned countless tools, construction materials, tents, trailers, food service, and child care. This culminated in the monumental task of constructing the playground in a twelve day period!
Kids Castle recently celebrated its 15th anniversary, however recent surveys of the castle indicate that this could be its final anniversary if it does not receive immediate attention and aid despite regular and thorough maintenance and care throughout the years.
Giving the castle's wooden structure, 15 years of wear and tear has caused significant decay and damage.
On May 7, 2012 an annual safety audit was conducted to assess the aspects of the castle in need of attention and repair. A recommended plan of action was then formulated, consisting of 38-plus repairs, 23 of which required immediate attention taken by the staff of Doylestown Township who have continually maintained and cared for the structure over the years.
For many members of our community, Kids Castle has represented a staple in their lives and provided endless memories and experiences that will never be forgotten.
Members of the Doylestown Township recognize this and wish to continue to allow Kids Castle to be available to the youth of our community. However, the rapid progression of the decay of the castle has left the Doylestown Township officials feeling that it is highly unlikely that Kids Castle can be saved without the help and support of the community.
In an effort to save what many have come to regard as one of Bucks County's top attractions, we are asking anyone who is interested to participate in any way that they can.
The first step to saving Kids Castle is simply raising awareness because many people are unaware that the castle is at risk of extinction. Invite as many people as you can into this group, http://www.facebook.com/groups/337494239667250/
Stay tuned for any fundraising events put in place that will be posted on this page, and for those who wish to become directly involved in saving Kids Castle please go to our FB event page and sign up to attend our meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Kids Castle. Everyone is welcome. http://www.facebook.com/events/455986167769398/
JOE GABLE
8:33 am on Saturday, August 18, 2012
Kid's Castle is a place of fond memories for us of the wonderful fun our grandchildren have when they visit Grammy and Papa's house. This is a worthy cause and fund raiser that I hope many parents and grandparents will participate in to save this great outdoor, imagineation mind building "Castle" that provides healthy fun outdoors for children. JOE GABLE, Warwick Township
Dawn Byers
10:58 am on Saturday, August 18, 2012
Joe, please join us on Wed, at 6:30 at the Pavilion at Kids Castle. We need good community servants like yourself! We really need those who want to take on leadership positions to come out on Wed, so each committee has a leader. We are looking for an overall coordinator (I will act in an advisory role, it's time I turn my crown over to the new generation), and coordinators in these areas: Design, Fundraising, Grantwriting, Donated Material, Public Relations, Social Media, School liaison, Business liaison, as well as a coordinator to start doing clean up on the playground (now) and getting rid of graffiti. And of course we are looking for committee members (work horses) for each of these committees. I look forward to meeting you. - Dawn Byers Friends of Kids Castle Coordinator
Erica Clipner Levin
9:14 pm on Sunday, August 19, 2012
Hi Dawn! I'll post this where ever i can to get the word out! My boys love Kids Castle!
Erica Clipner Levin
T. Fredendall
3:48 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012
Dawn, please advise the committees to look into the use of non-toxic building materials. While I love kid's castle and what it represents ( community and outdoor activity) I personally could not support saving this structure if it means exposing our environment and our children to more toxins. Keep in mind that a green approach could garner more interest in all aspects of fundraising. I wish you the best of luck with this!
JOE GABLE
4:19 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012
Dawn, Wednesday @ 6:30 will not work, but I'll stay tuned in to this worthy project -- T. Fredendall has a very good point and worth checking out. JOE GABLE
Dawn Byers
4:32 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012
T. Fredendall, thank you for your concern. Please know this is already being taken into consideration. Obviously the kids safety and the environment is very important to everyone and new recycled materials are now available for this type of play equipment. While I appreciate your comment (and I truly do!), it is important to point out that this is a volunteer effort. And we welcome EVERYONE to come out and get involved. Everyone has the same opportunity to make a difference and play a role in the design and construction. I am just putting this out there based on past experiences (it is not specifically geared toward you), in the past it has been frustrating to get complaints from people after the fact when they did not get involved to help make these decisions. This is a democratic process, we do not discriminate, anyone is welcome to participate. If anyone has an opinion, an idea or a complaint…. you are welcome to join us to have your voice heard. If you do not choose to become part of the process, please keep your opinions to yourself. Thanks for understanding.
T. Fredendall
11:23 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
helpful ideas/ opinions are a part of the process.