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PlayROCs Your Neighborhood celebrates 3 years of play

Healthi Kids Coalition

Neighborhoods throughout the City of Rochester stopped to appreciate some playtime last weekend.

It was part of the third annual PlayROCs Your Neighborhood event, which helps prioritize activity and playing at sites across the city in spaces that might not be thought of as traditional play areas.

Jenn Beideman is the Advocacy Manager for Healthi Kids Coalition at Common Ground Health, and said there were a number of activities to choose from.

"Some of the sites had DJs, Zumba, and yoga. Other sites had different activities like fencing and skateboarding."

Beideman says the initiative is all about reclaiming play areas in urban spaces, where kids can just be kids.

"Top barriers to play are neighborhood safety, traffic safety and un kept playgrounds. We really asked the question where are kids playing and how can we make it better?

Beideman says most city kids aren’t playing in traditional playgrounds, so the campaign is all about raising awareness for safe play spaces, whether they’re new or just reorganizing where kids are already playing.

Credit Healthi Kids Coalition

Beideman says the program has grown a lot in those three years, from 12 to 32 participating play sites.