Halsey Taylor drinking fountains selected for PlaNYC "Schoolyards to Playgrounds" program

OAK BROOK, IL– July 2009 – On June 12, 2009, Mayor Bloomberg attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony at PS 205K, one of many New York City public schoolyards that have recently been renovated as part of the PlaNYC 2030 Initiative, a comprehensive sustainability plan for the city's future.  A collaboration between the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, the Department of Education and the non-profit The Trust for Public Land, the PlaNYC Schoolyards to Playgrounds Program aims to increase the amount of open space in underserved neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs of New York City and ensure that all New Yorkers live within a 10 minute walk of a park or playground.

To achieve this goal, they have identified 266 public schoolyards that will ultimately be transformed into more than 200 acres of new parkland within walking distance of approximately 400,000 children and their families.  Nearly 70 playgrounds that did not require significant improvements were opened in the summer of 2007, while the remaining 197 recreational areas will be developed with play equipment, painted games and sports surfaces, greenery and other renovations.

Along with the multitude of improvements and additions being made to the schoolyards, many will be updated with custom outdoor drinking fountains from Halsey Taylor.  The PlaNYC team has chosen to install new Endura™ Steel Wall-mount Drinking Fountains (4705), customized with a specially designed “nyc water” logo and attractive blue color, in many of the newly created parks throughout the city.

Designed to withstand even the harshest elements, the Endura Steel Wall-mount Drinking Fountains feature heavy-gauge, cold-rolled steel construction for superior durability and are manufactured using Halsey Taylor's E-coat Immersion process, which coats the inside and outside of the fountain for the ultimate in corrosion protection.  Resistant to daily use, moisture and sunlight, Endura steel drinking fountains provide year-round beauty and performance with minimum maintenance.   Many of the Endura models specified for the project feature Halsey Taylor’s optional freeze-resistant valve system, which is comprised of a box that is installed behind a non-freezing, interior wall for housing the water connection from the stop to the strainer, ensuring that the fountain will function throughout the year despite weather conditions. 

“As one of America's leading manufacturers of water coolers and drinking fountains, Halsey Taylor has been committed to providing safe, clean drinking water for nearly a century,” states Jack Krecek, vice president, commercial business unit, general manager at Halsey Taylor.  “All of us in the Halsey Taylor family are thrilled that the Endura fountain was selected as the best option for the ‘Schoolyards to Playgrounds’ program, and we are proud to continue delivering healthy drinking water to people across the country.”

With an extensive line of indoor and outdoor water coolers and drinking fountains that provide a safe and environmentally friendly alternative to plastic bottles, Halsey Taylor offers an ideal green solution for parks, playgrounds, schools, hospitals and offices nationwide.  For more details about the PlaNYC initiative, visit the PlaNYC site; for more information on outdoor drinking fountains and water coolers from Halsey Taylor, visit halseytaylor.com. 

Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, Halsey Taylor offers a wide array of water coolers, drinking fountains and accessories for both indoor and outdoor applications.  For more information, contact Halsey Taylor, 2222 Camden Court, Oak Brook, IL 60523, (630) 574-3500, or visit halseytaylor.com.  For media inquiries, contact Emily Towey at (312) 946-6143 or etowey@msinet.com.  

Contact:  Emily Towey

312-946-6143