By Tanner Kent
ST PETER — Don’t worry about that castle.
Even though it stands little more than five feet high and is specially constructed to accommodate children, it’s plenty sturdy.
Sturdy enough, in fact, for parents to climb right alongside their kids and enjoy the view only a castle turret can provide.
“Parents ask us all the time if it can hold their weight,” said April Rao, director of St. Peter’s Creative Play Place. “We tell them, ‘Absolutely it can.’”
With opportunities for outdoor activities fading as quickly as the leaves, the Creative Play Place reopened for the winter months with a kickoff event on Saturday.
Located in room 127 of the St. Peter Community Center, the Play Place is entering its second season as an indoor playground, arts center and education resource. The Play Place, which closes in May for the summer months, represents the fruit borne out of several years of collaborative efforts.
Two years ago, the St. Peter Early Childhood Initiative received a grant from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation to determine community needs for youth services. After a handful of town meetings, community members decided they wanted (among other things) an indoor space where kids could stay active during the winter.
From there, the city of St. Peter donated space in the community center. Bethany Alliance Church donated hundreds of toys and $1,000 for additional materials. A local artist offered to paint murals and local students decorated ceramic tiles.
Home Depot even chose the project as one of its annual community projects, sending a dozen volunteers to help with the construction of the indoor playground.
“I’m very happy with the way it turned out,” said Rao, who has now hired two additional staff for the Play Place and also employs interns from Gustavus Adolphus College. “It’s so fun to see parents and kids using it the way we planned.”
The Play Place is free to the public — save the occasional fee for art supplies or special events — and hosts a variety of events, including: parent-child art classes on the first Saturday of each month, Fitness Fridays and periodical fundraising events.
The indoor playground includes a castle — complete with a white-sand sandbox hidden in the interior — as well as a kitchen and grocery, makeshift camping area, fire truck and separate areas for art exploration. The Play Place also features an infant room with soundproof walls.
Funding for the Play Place is provided through grants with the Mankato Clinic Foundation, Prairie Lakes Regional Art Council and the United Way. Rao said there have also been a number of private donors.
Last year, the Play Place hosted more than 2,600 visitors.
For a full list of hours and events, visit www.creativeplayplace.word press.com.
