Hamilton Township recently earned a distinction that no other city or town across the state of New Jersey can boast of this year from a national non-profit organization dedicated to giving children opportunities to play.
NonCiting -profit organization, KaBoom!, named Hamilton Township a 2013 Playful City USA community. As such, Hamilton becomes the only New Jersey town to receive the honor this year.
Hamilton earned the designation for its “outstanding dedication to play” and the community’s agenda focusing on “providing parks, open spaces and playground areas within walking distances of those not already served by other township parks or school playgrounds.”
This marks the fifth time Hamilton Township earned the Playful City USA designation. Hamilton joins 216 other communities across the nation to receive the honor this year.
“To be the only town in the state of New Jersey recognized for our commitment to providing opportunities for our youth to play speaks volumes about our community’s continued reinvestment in our parks, playgrounds and recreational areas,” Hamilton Township Mayor Kelly A. Yaede said in a statement. “Our wonderful parks and playgrounds are some of the many things that continue to make Hamilton a special community and a great place for our children to be raised.”
By receiving the designation, the township is now eligible for grants of between $15,000 and $30,000 through the Let’s Play program- a community partnership led by the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group to encourage kids and families across the nation to be active.
Hamilton’s “Playful City USA” designation follows its recognition earlier this spring by the Arbor Day Foundation as a “Tree City USA” for its commitment to effective urban forest management.
