Oregon's Only Women's Prison Getting New Playground Equipment

Children who visit their mothers at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility will soon have new playground equipment on which to slide, climb, and jump thanks to a fundraising effort by the Wilsonville Rotary's Through a Child's Eyes committee. Photo Courtesy: CCCF

(WILSONVILLE, Ore. ) — Children who visit their mothers at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility will soon have new playground equipment on which to slide, climb, and jump thanks to a fundraising effort by the Wilsonville Rotary's Through a Child's Eyes committee.

TACE projects are funded by the Wilsonville Rotary Club Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization.

Each of CCCF's facilities (medium and minimum) had playground jungle gyms when they opened 13 years ago. However, recently both gym sets had deteriorated and were removed for safety reasons.

The TACE committee was asked to help, and immediately went to work procuring funding to complete the project. The main financial contributors are the Wilsonville Rotary TACE committee, Stimson Lumber Co., the Juan Young Trust, and Republic Services of Wilsonville.

Ground breaking began August 5, at the minimum facility, when staff and inmates began digging holes to set the posts in concrete. The minimum institution equipment is already in place, and installation of the medium institution's equipment is underway.

In colorful hues of orange, green, and blue, the equipment features ladders, monkey bars, slides, holes to crawl through, and a fort-like arrangement to survey the surroundings.

"We feel extremely fortunate to have a partner like the Wilsonville Rotary," said Superintendent Heidi Steward. "They help provide a number of services to the children and families of Coffee Creek's incarcerated mothers. Their support is helping improve lives and public safety."

CCCF is a multi-custody facility in Wilsonville that houses more than 1,200 women.

CCCF delivers a range of correctional services and programs including alcohol and drug treatment, education, work opportunities, cognitive programming, and pre-release services.

The minimum facility opened in 2001 and the medium facility opened in 2002. CCCF is Oregon's only women's prison.

It also houses the state's intake center, which provides intake and evaluation of all male inmates committed to state custody.

Source: Oregon Department of Corrections