City of Stone Mountain, KABOOM! and United Healthcare build new playground in city’s historic Shermantown

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA— More than 100 volunteers representing UnitedHealthcare, KABOOM! and the City of Stone Mountain came together to build a new playground at Leila Mason Park in the city’s historic Shermantown.

The build day project was part of United Healthcare’s “Do Good. Live Well.” initiative, dedicated to fighting obesity by improving social determinants of health.

KABOOM!, a national nonprofit which build playspaces in communities, led the build day on Oct. 20. Although the weather was a little gray, KABOOM!’s playspace experts guided volunteers in organizing, installing, and finalizing every feature, from the first hole dug to the last coat of mulch raked.

The City of Stone Mountain last collaborated with KABOOM! in 2022 to revitalize the playground at McCurdy Park, in which more than 100 volunteers participated, officials said.  This recurring partnership highlights the shared commitment to ensuring children can enjoy the outdoors and healthy play in a safe environment, officials said.

Mayor Beverly Jones applauded the hard work at the culmination of the most recent two-day effort.

“This wasn’t about one person doing one thing to make one thing great, it was about a community coming together in love and connection to say that we are one,” Jones said.

“Leila Mason is one of the most used parks here in the city. This community is called Shermantown, and it has so much history. Some of the history is unsightly, but what we have done today, we have turned it around. We have turned hate into love. Tell your friends, tell your neighbors, the city of Stone Mountain right here in Shermantown where descendants of slaves live that we are a city and community of love. I just thank you all from the bottom of my heart, each-and-every one of you.”

The city of Stone Mountain is home to about 6,700 residents and is located near Stone Mountain Park, a nationally-known destination that features outdoor recreational activities, family fun attractions, special events and on-site lodging.

 Photos provided by the City of Stone Mountain.