Houses on South Ferry Street in Schenectady. Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region is receiving a state grant to renovate its playground in the city. Photo: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region received a $226,736 NY PLAYS grant to renovate its playground in Schenectady, the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York said on Nov. 12. Construction is planned for spring 2027, with completion expected by August 2027. The same event included a ribbon-cutting for a newly renovated gymnasium, paid for separately by community supporters, DASNY said.
NY PLAYS, formally the New York Places for Learning, Activity and Youth Socialization program, is overseen by the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and administered by DASNY. It is part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Unplug and Play initiative. The Capital Region has received more than $55 million through NY PLAYS, NY BRICKS and NY SWIMS, the authority said, including earlier support for Albany’s Lincoln Park Pool and the Knickerbacker Park Aquatic Center in Troy, which opened in July 2026. Statewide, Hochul has awarded $67.5 million through NY PLAYS for 89 playground projects, the release said.
The gym renovation was facilitated by the Capital Region Chamber and supported by the Wright Family Foundation and the Dake Family, with BBL Construction and CSARCH as project partners, DASNY said. Girls Inc. CEO Ashli Fragomeni said a renovated gym and an improved playground “will give girls even more opportunities to be active, build friendships and spend time together in spaces designed with their growth and development specifically in mind.” DASNY President and CEO Robert J. Rodriguez said the grant would help “transform an existing playground into a place where girls can stay active, build confidence and connect with one another.”
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