As the Adirondacks ease into fall and families settle back into familiar routines, Play ADK is reflecting on a summer filled with energy, creativity and connection. Our mission has always been to create meaningful opportunities for children and families to play and grow together, and this year has been a clear step forward on multiple fronts.

Our Clubhouse, located at 84 Main St. in downtown Saranac Lake, has become a gathering place for young families, caregivers and children, a space where families can explore, create and connect. This summer was our busiest yet, with programming expanding to reflect the many ways families want us to use the space. Alongside our popular infant and toddler playgroups, we’ve added craft clubs, book readings, movie nights and homework clubs. These programs create opportunities for a wider range of children and caregivers to gather throughout the week. At the end of September, our team began a thoughtful refresh of the Clubhouse: the front windows have been brightened, the back is being transformed into a small coworking space where parents can work as their children play, and many new exciting additions are starting to take shape.

This coming spring marks the fifth anniversary of the Clubhouse, a milestone that speaks to the commitment of our volunteers, families and community partners. What began as a simple play space has grown into a lively hub that continues to adapt to meet local needs. It is a place where parents meet one another, caregivers find support and children engage in meaningful, screen-free play. We thank the dozens of businesses and nonprofits in the Saranac Lake region that have become annual Clubhouse sponsors, ensuring that this programming remains free for the community.

This summer also saw Play ADK grow its presence outside the Clubhouse walls. We participated in Third Thursday ArtWalks, returned to the Northern Current Music Festival to run the ever-popular Kids Zone, partnered with the Lake Placid Center for the Arts for a third straight summer on the Young and Fun program, and, new this year, took over as host of the Saranac Lake Corrugated Cup Cardboard Boat Race.

Alongside these programmatic efforts, our capital project is steadily advancing. The future Adirondack Center for Play will be a 15,000 square foot, year-round play and family resource center in the heart of Saranac Lake. The schematic designs for the building, site, and play spaces are fully realized, and the design development phase is now underway, a critical step that will bring the project closer to construction. We are working on transporting our newly purchased Adirondack fire tower to our site on Depot Street, which will be transformed into a first-of-its-kind vertical playscape. Geotechnical engineering work is also being completed, which will support full site plan approval and environmental review. These efforts ensure the project remains on a strong foundation as we move toward making this long-envisioned community asset a reality.

Looking ahead, we are excited to continue building on this momentum. As the seasons change, we invite families to stop by the Clubhouse, join a program or simply spend time playing together. We also look forward to sharing more updates on the capital project in the months ahead.

We are grateful to the community for its ongoing support. Whether you have volunteered your time, brought your children to play or shared our story with others, you are part of what makes this work possible. To stay up to date on programs and project news, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/playadk or visit playadk.org.

Together, we are helping children grow through play and making the Adirondacks a better place for families.

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Deb Roddy is chair of Play ADK’s Board of Trustees. She lives in Vermontville.