CORAL SPRINGS, FL – A second playground has opened in Coral Springs in honor of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy victim, Meadow Pollack.
The new playground is at Chabad of Coral Springs, the Jewish family center which Pollack’s family has long attended.
In January, her family and other supporters opened the first playground at Betti Stradling Park at 10301 Wiles Road in memory of Pollack, who lost her life along with 16 others in the 2018 shooting.
In a video this week announcing the opening of the second playground, which is called Princess Meadow’s Playground At The Chabad of Coral Springs, Hunter Pollack said the playground is meant to celebrate his sister’s memory in a place where the family has found comfort and support from the staff, especially Rabbi Avraham Friedman, the center’s executive director.
“This is a park where Jewish families can make phenomenal memories in honor of Meadow,” Hunter Pollack said in the video. “The rabbi has always been there for my family and it was important that we gave him something special while honoring my sister at the same time.”
The colorful playground, with slides, climbing wall and other features, opened earlier this fall for children attending Chabad of Coral Springs educational programs.
The Pollack family’s initial plan was to build the playground at Chabad of Coral Springs, but the family got enough donations to build the playground at Betti Stradling Park and now at Chabad of Coral Springs, Hunter Pollack said.
“It’s very beautiful to see, coming to the synagogue, the kids playing up there or playing catch,” Friedman said in the video.
Friedman said Meadow’s father, Andrew, told him how meaningful the playground is at Chabad of Coral Springs.
“He said, ‘I’d rather come here and see kids playing and having fun than sitting at the cemetery,’” the rabbi said.
Friedman added: “What could be a better way to honor Meadow than these children here having fun with each other, at the same time absorb their roots? There’s nothing more special than that.”
