Senator Saval, Rep. Waxman, and members of the Greenfield school community in the newly renovated play space.
Philadelphia, PA − September 9, 2026 − Yesterday, State Senator Nikil Saval (Senate District 1) and State Representative Ben Waxman (House District 182) gathered at Greenfield Elementary School with students, family members, teachers, administrators, and staff to celebrate the completion of Greenfield’s open spaces project and the official reopening of its newly renovated playground.
“This project is a testament to the incredible dedication and strength of the Greenfield community, who embarked on a years’ long journey to provide the students and the surrounding neighborhood with a beautiful, safe, accessible play space,” said Saval. “To work alongside Philadelphians in doing the crucial work of visioning and building a flourishing world that works for all of us is an honor and a joy. I was proud to support this work at Greenfield, and I am committed to helping school communities throughout our city secure the resources they need.”
“This funding is an investment in Greenfield Elementary students, the wider community, and in the resources our schools need to help every child learn and grow,” said Waxman. “I’m proud to have worked with my colleagues to help bring these dollars to Greenfield and see this investment finally become a reality.”
Greenfield’s school grounds offer the only large, centrally located play area in Philadelphia’s dense Center City neighborhood and provide green, open space for the surrounding community. After years of heavy use, the playground equipment and the surfaces of the open area had reached the end of their lifespan. Saval and Waxman worked closely with members of the Greenfield Home & School Association (HSA) to secure a state grant of $450,000 to help resurface the play area, install new, inclusive play equipment, and beautify the space.
“This playground is so much more than a renovated space—it’s a reflection of what can happen when a community comes together for its children,” said Dan Lazar, Greenfield’s Principal. “I am incredibly grateful to the Greenfield Home & School Association for their leadership and years of hard work to bring this project to life. With a total cost just shy of $1 million, we could not have accomplished this without the support of our city officials and community members. We are so thankful to everyone who helped make this beautiful, inclusive space possible not only for our students but also for our community.”
The renovations of Greenfield’s play area mark the culmination of years of committed work on behalf of the students and the broader neighborhood. Members of the Greenfield Home & School Association worked extensively with state and local partners to bring the project to fruition.
The state funding was awarded through the Commonwealth’s Statewide Local Share Account grant program, with support from Saval and Waxman, and administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Funds awarded through the Local Share Account support projects in the public interest within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.