Volunteers Build New Newell Park Playground

The $650,000 project brings a new play space to the Saint Paul community after months of planning.

Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Philanthropy

Screen-print poster illustration of a modern playground structure set in a park, evoking community-led recreational infrastructure improvements. — Volunteers in Saint Paul completed the installation of a new $650,000 playground at Newell Park on October 22, 2026. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Would you volunteer your time to help build new playground equipment in your local park?

Community members and local volunteers installed a new playground at Newell Park on October 22, 2026. The $650,000 structure was completed in just six hours to help address local playspace inequity.

Why it matters

The project serves as a model for public-private collaboration, utilizing both private donations and city tax funding to improve local infrastructure. The initiative specifically targets playspace inequity to ensure equitable access to recreational facilities for residents.

The playground project cost $650,000, with funding split between private donors and the city's 1% Common Cent sales tax. The city projects this tax will eventually raise $246 million for infrastructure.

The players

St. Paul Parks Conservancy

This organization works to support and improve the park system in Saint Paul through private sector fundraising and advocacy.

KABOOM!

This nonprofit organization focuses on ending playspace inequity and is currently celebrating its 30th anniversary.

The details

Coordinated by the nonprofit KABOOM!, the project saw 100 volunteers assemble prepped pieces in a single six-hour build window. The design was finalized following a community input session held six weeks prior to construction to encourage local ownership.

The city's Common Cent 1% sales tax was approved in 2023.
The Common Cent 1% sales tax was implemented in 2024.
A community design day for the project occurred in September 2026.
The new playground at Newell Park was finalized on October 22, 2026.

Market Landscape

This development reflects a growing trend of leveraging voter-approved local sales tax measures to accelerate neighborhood-level capital projects. It positions Saint Paul to address long-standing infrastructure maintenance backlogs by combining public tax revenue with private philanthropic investment.

Residents of Saint Paul gain immediate access to a modern, safely designed play facility at Newell Park. The project demonstrates the tangible utility of the local sales tax in delivering community-requested improvements to public recreational areas.

The takeaway

Collaborative community design days can drastically shorten construction timelines for public projects by organizing volunteers effectively. Residents interested in future improvements can engage with city-led community planning sessions to influence the development of local amenities.