The summer is winding down and the water fountains at a playground in Johnstown have not been turned on.
Tony Penna Sr. founded the Playground Takeover Program at the Wood Street playground in Hornerstown and the Park Avenue playground in Moxham. The program gives kids in at-risk neighborhoods a safe place to play.
Penna Sr. said it’s been a success. Although, there’s been one thing missing all summer long at the Park Avenue playground: water from the two water fountains.
“I found out when I saw these two beautiful water fountains and I asked one of the mothers. She said, ‘They work, they just don’t turn them on.'” said Tony Penna Sr., the founder of Coaches 4 Kids and the Playground Takeovers.
Parents in the neighborhood said they have to bring bottled water for their kids.
“We freeze water at night and bring a couple bottles with us in the day, so it’s never a concern for us. But I can see that it would be a concern for the other children who are hot and thirsty,” said Jennifer Ritko, a parent and Moxham resident.
Penna Sr. said he contacted the city at the beginning of the summer about turning on the water fountains.
“We tried to get the water fountains turned on. Apparently there’s an issue with cost: who would pay for it? If it wasn’t big I would pay for it,” Penna Sr. said.
When WTAJ News asked city officials, they said they were not aware of the issue and had not been contacted by any residents.
“Right now, we’re ready to shut it down and we haven’t gotten an answer yet on the water. We’re at kind of a standstill, which is disappointing,” said Penna Sr.
The Playground Takeover Program is run by the Coaches 4 Kids Foundation and Goodwill Goodguides Youth Mentoring Program. They rely on grants and donations.
Penna Sr. said the kids in the program give back to the city and the community. This year, they’re painting the Park Avenue playground and the Wood Street playground.
Penna Sr. said he hopes others would want to give back to these kids.
“I would hope that somebody would come out and be gracious enough to help the city and help the water get turned on,” Penna Sr. said.
Parents and volunteers said they hope by next year, the water fountains will be turned on.
