More than 200 volunteers from Stone Zoo, Baystate Financial, MetLife Foundation, organizers from national non-profit KaBOOM! and residents of the Stoneham community joined forces on Friday, October 31, to build Stone Zoo’s new playground. The playground's official opening will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 8.

The playground’s design is based off of elements from drawings created by children from the Stoneham community. At a special event in September, children were asked to put crayons to paper to create their dream playground, and their sketches have now become a reality.

Volunteers worked tirelessly on every inch of the playground, landscaping, digging and clearing holes for the foundation, assembling playground components, building benches, and more.

The project is part of Baystate Financial, MetLife and MetLife Foundation’s ongoing commitment to serving the greater Boston community.

Since 1996, KaBOOM! has been dedicated to the bold goal of ensuring that all children get the balanced and active play they need to thrive because #playmatters to all kids. The playground is the 23rd built by MetLife Foundation and KaBOOM!

Photos courtesy of Don Crasco and Elizabeth Stefan