The Seven Spaces Play Area is now open and ready for PLAY!
First Unitarian Church of St. Louis held a dedication ceremony for a new Play Area on Sunday November 20th. Staff , members, and friends gathered on the Kingshighway Lawn at 11:30am to officially open the Play Area and honor those who made the project possible, including: Karen Seigrst, Grace Munie, Clint Cruse, Sue Herzberg, Lynn Hunt, Danielle Kozemczak, and other members who assisted in raising funds for this project.
The Seven Spaces Play Area has been a long term project for the congregation. It was originally initiated by families who desired an outdoor play area for the children of the congregation. Time was spent gathering input from children, parents, and members of the congregation before initial planning took place in 2015. The Religious Education and Facilities Committees decided on the Seven Spaces Design created by Arbolope Studio, a landscape design firm. This design included the area’s natural play elements, such as rocks to climb, a wooden balance beam, outdoor musical instruments, and a giant chessboard made of pavers.
The project was paused for several years and revived in 2019. Fundraising for this project began in late 2019 and an Art Auction was held in February 2020. Soon afterwards the COVID-19 pandemic began and created delays in completing the project. However, efforts rallied and ground breaking happened on April 18, 2021. The area was installed by Seasons Cycle Landscaping LLC. We hope that the new Play Area will inspire an appreciation for nature in the children of our congregation and make space for all our members and friends to connect to the Earth.