Lotte to build children's playground at Incheon care center

Lotte announced Friday it has signed an MOU with ChildFund Korea and Incheon city to build the 34th "Mom-Friendly Playground," a children's play space, inside the Aisarang Dream Center in Bupyeong-gu.

The agreement came after Incheon city was selected through a national competition run by Lotte and ChildFund Korea for the Mom-Friendly Playground project. The 34th location will be housed inside the Aisarang Dream Center that Incheon city is building in Bupyeong-gu, covering 471 square meters. Lotte will fund the project, while ChildFund Korea handles design and construction. Incheon city will take charge of maintenance and operations after completion. The facility is set to be completed in January next year, undergo a trial run, and open officially in March.

The signing ceremony was held at Incheon City Hall. Lotte Holdings Communications Director Im Seong-bok, ChildFund Korea Chairman Hwang Young-gi, Incheon Mayor Park Chan-dae and lawmaker Noh Jong-myeon attended.

The Mom-Friendly Playground is a children's play environment improvement project that Lotte and ChildFund Korea have run together since 2017, now in its 10th year. The 32nd location opened in Chilgok-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, in January, and the 33rd is set to open in Gwangmyeong.

The design of each facility reflects input from the children who will use it. Surveys are conducted through nearby children's facilities to gather their play experiences and preferences, which then inform the space's concept and design. The 34th location draws on images of the sky, sea and forest — elements Incheon children associate with their city.

"We will continue to pursue a range of social contribution activities to support child care and spread a family-friendly culture," Im said. Park said the agreement was "a meaningful first step in giving children an all-season play space they can enjoy regardless of weather or fine dust, made possible through cooperation with the private sector."