Chabad of Coral Springs’ Meadow’s Playground will double in size due to $50K donation

Coral Springs, Florida – To provide kids more space to play, Chabad of Coral Springs is planning to enlarge the Meadow Pollack playground to about twice its current size.

According to Rabbi Avraham Friedman of Chabad of Coral Springs, Meadow’s Playground, which is named for the cherished 18-year-old who was killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, will expand in size and receive new playground equipment.

According to Friedman, the Pollack family’s additional $50,000 donation made the expansion possible.

Meadow’s Playground, which is situated on University Drive on the southwest side of the Chabad of Coral Springs, opened its doors in 2020 as a result of financing provided by the Pollack family’s nonprofit organization Meadow’s Movement.

The Pollack family has always been Chabad attendees, and following the 2018 school shooting, their bond with Friedman grew. Meadow Pollack and 16 others were slain in the incident.

According to Hunter Pollack, Freidman “has been monumental in helping us with guidance through our grief.” He continued by saying that on Shabbat, the Jewish sabbath, his family went to the playground and observed a lot of children playing happily there.

“That’s exactly the way we wanted Meadow to be remembered. We didn’t want people to go to the cemetery in sadness. We wanted children to play on a playground that was built in memory of her and families to create memories around that playground.”

Pollack said his family “knew that [the playground] needed to be doubled in size to keep up with the number of kids that were going.”

“The expansion is happening so that no child feels left out when they’re playing on that playground, and there’s enough space and enough equipment for everyone to enjoy in Meadow’s memory.”

Pollack said his sister was “a beautiful young Jewish girl and it was very important to us that she continue to have strong Jewish roots, whether she’s here or not.”

2020 saw the opening of Princess Meadow’s Playground, a second playground at Betti Stradling Park dedicated to Meadow Pollack.

According to Pollack, new equipment for the Chabad playground extension has been ordered, and as part of the project, a fence line has already been pushed back.

According to Friedman, the manufacturing and installation of the playground equipment will determine when the new area opens.

“We are eager and excited to have it done as quickly as possible,” said the rabbi. “We’re broadening the age group that can enjoy the playground.”

He said the Pollack family is “always in our hearts and minds, and the dedication of the Pollack family to create an atmosphere where children love to come to play – and the combination of nurturing of body and soul – is a beautiful way to honor Meadow.”

Donations towards the playground extension can be made through the Chabad of Coral Springs website by anyone who would like to contribute more. The “Meadow’s Playground at Chabad” donation button is located at the top of the website and should be used by donors.