Playground dedicated in memory of first grader
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SHADYSIDE -- The loss of a child is never easy for parents, family or a community to accept, but for the Brown family of Shadyside is turning their sorrow at the loss of their 6-year-old son into joy for other children.
Saturday during the annual Loop Fest in Shadyside, a large group came out for the dedication of the Noah Brown Memorial Playground. This has been seven years in the making, starting with the family wanting to remember a little boy who loved to play on playgrounds. He lost his life in a tragic accident in September 2016. He was in first grade.
"We are honored that the community came together to remember our son," Rob Brown said. "This has been a labor of love from everyone in Shadyside. We are very appreciative (of those who) donated to it and I thank the board of education for getting behind the project as well as the whole community."
Noah's parents, Janell and Rob Brown, along with other family came up with the first funding of around $25,000 for this project.
"When I was going to the transition of bringing the fifth and sixth students to the high school, I knew we were going to need a playground," Superintendent of Shadyside Local School District John Haswell said.
The school board along with the group Vision Shadyside were able to get the remaining $150,000.
Vision Shadyside is a group that has been working behind the scenes to make improvements to Shadyside and make it a better place to live.
Haswell thanked everybody for the donations and involvement that made this happen so that Noah's name and spirit would live on in the heart of the community. The Noah Brown Memorial Playground sits behind the community center and children have been playing on it all week, going as far as to take the caution tape down themselves. This part of the playground is only one of three phases of the project.
Following Haswell's welcome Nancy Marzella of Vision Shadyside spoke about the phases that are to come in the coming years.
"The next phase will be on the next plot of land. We want to get equipment for older children to play on. ... We also want to build an amphitheater, so Shadyside can continue to have concerts," Marzella said.
Donations are being accepted for the second and third phases. Anyone who would like to make a donation can do so by contacting a member of Vision Shadyside or by scanning the QR code on the playground sign.
Before the ribbon was cut and the playground was officially opened, Haswell invited Pastor Eric White, who officiated Noah's funeral, to say a few words.
"Everything bad in life that happens, we can turn it into good ... This playground is going to bring so much fun and joy and laughter to these kids that the memory of Noah is going to live on for a long time."
For the ribbon cutting, Noah's siblings held the ribbon while Janell and Rob cut it, marking the opening of the Noah Brown Memorial Playground.
"We are very happy to have this done so we can be happy for the kids of Shadyside and I'm just excited to see the kids have a lot of fun," Janell said.