ATHENS, Pa. (WETM) – Valley Playland will be reopening on Saturday, June 19 with a special community event.

The grand opening of the playground will be at 11 a.m. with music, hot dogs, drinks and Johnny D’s ice cream truck available. The playground was rebuilt by community members over the last couple of months.

The new playground features typical slides, seesaws, monkey bars, and swing sets, as well as a rock wall, bouncy bridge, challenge bridge, and a zip line. The entire park will be updated to current ADA regulations and will be surfaced with areas of poured-in-place rubber surfacing and wood mulch.

Sayre Borough was the recipient of a $212,500 PA DCNR grant and several other local contributions to build the nearly $550,000 new structure. Many local businesses have contributed matching funds, and the group hopes to complete raising the final $17,000 the week of the build through community contributions.

In January 2020 Guthrie donated $10,000 to help rebuild the playground as part of Guthrie’s Community Benefit Grant Program.