Leave it better: urban park to anchor community: the city of Newark, N.J. needed to put a fresh spin on an old, dilapidated play space.

Project: Parks for People-Newark Build Day

Problem: Currently more than 50 percent of Newark, N.J.'s children are not served by a viable/usable park.

Solution: Through Parks for People-Newark, the Trust for Public Land (TPL) is building parks and playgrounds in Newark's most underserved communities. On Oct. 25, 2005, TPL partnered with NJ-NAIOP (the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties) to rebuild El Club del Barrio Peace Playground starting from the ground up. The playground was originally built 10 years ago to provide a place for after-school activities throughout the year.

Cost: $100,000 from volunteer labor, in-kind services and donations.

Lead Time: About one month for removal of outdated equipment and site preparation and another month for planning.

Partnerships: TPL, NJ-NAIOP, El Club del Barrio and dozens of volunteers.

Community Impact: More than 1,700 children who live within a quarter-mile of this playground now have a safe place to play. "Newark's children suffer from an acute lack of open space," says Terrence Nolan, director of TPL's New Jersey field office. "Safe, well-designed outdoor places can anchor neighborhoods and afford children the chance to participate in organized activities."