Pottstown Parks and Recreation's
Play Streets
WHAT IS POTTSTOWN PLAY STREETS?
Pottstown Play Streets is a seasonal award-winning summer recreation and community development program delivered over a series of seven two hour events on Thursdays from June to August.
It takes place on streets near parks or green spaces throughout the Borough of Pottstown. The partners behind the program, the Play Streets Coalition, temporarily close a neighborhood block to traffic, set-up tables for partner outreach and activities, and disburse free play equipment to create safe, fun, and healthy public spaces for children, families and neighbors to connect, play, and learn right outside their doors. It gives kids of all ages more space to be active.
Pottstown Play Streets 2025
Thursdays 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Dates: TBD - Stay Tuned!
PARTNERSHIP & COLLABORATION
This program would not be possible without partnership and community. Pottstown Play Streets is led by the Borough of Pottstown Parks and Recreation Department. They are part of the Pottstown Play Streets Coalition convened by the Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation to help provide this program to Pottstown residents.
2024 Pottstown Play Streets Coalition: ACLAMO, Be ReZillient, Borough of Pottstown Parks and Recs Dept., Centro Cultural Latinos Unidos, Inc., CHDC, Citizen Advocacy, Community First Development Corporation, Family Services of Montgomery County, Genesis Housing Corp., Greater Pottstown Tennis & Learning, Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties, Hearts For Humanity, Jefferson Health Plan, Joanne Washington, Inc. (PBC), Maternity Care Coalition: Early Head Start, Montgomery County Community College, Montgomery County Planning Commission, PAHWF, Pottstown Area Rapid Transit, Inc., Pottstown Childrens Discovery Center, Pottstown Community Action, Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities, Pottstown Community Arts, The Ray, The STRIVE Initiative, Inc., Traces of Love Association, Trellis for Tomorrow, Tri County Area Federal Credit Union, and YWCA Tri-County Area. (Last Updated: 7/18/24)
2023: ACLAMO; Be ReZilient, Healing Through The Arts; Borough of Pottstown Parks and Recreation Department; Community Health & Dental Care; Family Services of Montgomery County; Foundation Church; Genesis Housing Corp.; Greater Pottstown Tennis & Learning; Health Partner Plans; KeyBank, Montgomery County Community College; Mother Goose Read to Me; Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation; Pottstown Children's Discovery Center; Pottstown Community Action; Pottstown Community Arts; Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities; Pottstown Hospital - Tower Health; Pottstown Trauma Informed Community Connection; Rahab's Hope; The JT Dorsey Foundation; The STRIVE Initiative; Traces of Love Association; Trellis for Tomorrow; and YWCA Tri-County Area.
2022: ACLAMO; Family Services of Montgomery County - Pottstown, PA; Genesis Housing; Maternity Care Coalition/Early Head Start Program; Montgomery County Community College; Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation; Pottstown Children's Discovery Center Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities; Pottstown Community Action; Pottstown Community Arts; Pottstown Family Advisory Committee; Pottstown Hospital - Tower Health; Pottstown Parks and Recs
Pottstown Trauma Informed Community Connection; Trellis for Tomorrow; Tri-County Health Council - Community Education and Collaboration (Work Group); and YWCA Tri-County Area.
HISTORY
Play Streets has been used throughout the world as a tool to address barriers to outdoor physical play. The first Play Streets in the United States happened in Harlem NYC in 1914. Regular physical activity and play in childhood and adolescence have many benefits, including improving healthy bones and muscles, reducing anxiety and stress, and increasing self-esteem. Despite these benefits, approximately 3 of 4 United States adolescents still do not meet national physical activity guidelines. In several communities across the United States, traffic, violence, and crime are barriers to parents allowing children to play outside. (Examining the Implementation of Play Streets: A Systematic Review of the Grey Literature, Journal of Public Health Management and Practice ; 4 ways cities are embracing and promoting playful learning in their communities, Brookings).
The Foundation's 2018 Tri-County Area Community Health Needs Assessment found that nearly half (48%) of Pottstown adults reported that they do not have a park or green space that they are comfortable visiting. In comparison, 20% of adults living within the Spring-Ford school district report that they do not have a park or green space that they are comfortable visiting during the day.