SALEM — The Salem YMCA has begun construction on a new rooftop playground space named after late Salem business leader Betsy Merry.
The new Betsy Merry Playground will be designed to provide a state-of-the-art recreational area to the more than 200 children of all ages and abilities currently enrolled in the YMCA’s Early Learning and School Age programs.
Currently, the Salem YMCA has a small, roughly 1,100-square-foot outdoor playground that serves infants, toddlers and preschoolers. The new rooftop playground will provide a space more than three times the size for school-age children ranging 5-13 years old, totaling 4,000 square feet. The new space will include a track for tricycles, climbing structures and mounds, a multi-purpose court, shade structures, greenery, gardens and bathrooms.
The $5.5 million project is scheduled to be finished next spring. The YMCA is committing $1 million to the project, with another $1 million coming from a state grant from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, and the remaining funding being raised through individual donors and foundations.
Betsy Merry, who died of leukemia in May 2022 at the age of 70, was a special education teacher at Salem High School before her career in residential real estate. She managed the Salem Coldwell Banker office for several years and, in 2008, established Merry Fox Realty, with the business’ success leading her to be featured on This Old House and American Dream TV.
Merry also served as the president of the Salem YMCA and a trustee of the Essex Institute before its merger with the Peabody Essex Museum. Merry was also an active member on the boards for Catholic Charities, Historic Salem, Inc., Hamilton Hall, YMCA of the North Shore, the Salem Partnership, and the Salem Pantry.
Kate Merry Walters, Merry’s daughter, said her family is honored to support the creation of a rooftop playground in her memory, whose life and legacy was deeply intertwined with the YMCA, the Salem community, and the growth and development of children.
“My mom was a force of nature — full of energy, optimism, and joy — and a dedicated champion for the YMCA for decades,” Walters said. “As a former Salem teacher and longtime community leader, she believed deeply in creating opportunities for children to learn, grow, and thrive.
“Children who currently have limited outdoor access in downtown Salem will soon have a vibrant place to run, climb, garden, imagine, and connect with one another. Our family is proud to support this project in her memory, and we hope it brings joy, adventure, and opportunity to generations of children for years to come.”
Salem YMCA Executive Director Charity Lezama, said naming the playground is a way to honor Merry’s legacy and recognize the influence and support she provided for the YMCA and the greater community.
“It is such an honor to add this new playground to Betsy’s full, rich legacy in Salem,” Lezama said. “As a board member, friend, and local leader, she was such an incredible advocate for our Y and our mission, and we could not think of a better person to recognize with this naming, carrying on her commitment to Salem, with a truly unique space that will be enjoyed by children in our program.”
More information about the playground project and donations can be found at northshoreymca.org/salem-rooftop/.
Michael McHugh can be contacted at mmchugh@northofboston.com or at 781-799-5202