One of Rosili's concept drawings for the playground.
When we think of children’s drawings, they often strike us as whimsical, playful, and not always the most realistic. A drawing by a young girl in Clearfield, Utah, however, recently became reality through her determination, creativity, and the help of her city’s Parks & Recreation department.
Eleven-year-old Rosili Olson hatched a plan for a new neighborhood playground last year, hoping it would be safer for her younger sisters to play on. With only a piece of paper, a box of crayons, and her imagination at her disposal, she drew the design for her dream playground. Her colorful sketches—which feature a twisting slide, a rock wall, and a rope climb—caught the attention of City Hall once she brought it to them.
Less than a year later, a now 12-year-old Rosili attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for that very same park.
“After seeing her initiative and detail, we knew we had to make her dream happen,” Clearfield officials wrote in an Instagram post that documents several stages of the playground’s construction process. “She reviewed multiple versions [of the design mock-ups] until we had checked all her boxes and got the colors right.”
Eric Howe, the head of the city’s Parks & Recreation department, said Rosili’s timing couldn’t have been better.
“[The park] was budgeted but we didn’t have any specifics,” Howe told local newspaper Standard-Examiner. “After seeing all the effort she put into all of those drawings knowing we’d already ordered the playground for the park right by her house, the next best thing was to say, ‘We’ve got a playground coming in next year. Let’s use what you’ve done and build something there.’”
When the playground finally opened on Sept. 24, 2024, Rosili exclaimed, “It’s even better than I imagined. It’s so beautiful.”
Rosili’s resilience and involvement offers clear proof that community engagement can lead to tangible results.
An 11-year-old girl in Clearfield, Utah, designed a safer playground for her younger sisters.
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When she presented it to City Hall, they collaborated to make the drawing a reality.
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Not even a year later, the playground has been built, thanks to Rosili’s determination and community involvement.
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Clearfield City: Instagram | X
h/t: [People]
All images via Clearfield City.
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