A new Learn & Play outdoor space opened Nov. 30 at the Severna Park branch of the Anne Arundel Public Library.

Located near the back of the building, the space features wood-chip grounds, four benches and three bell-like percussion instruments for families to enjoy. The space is open for free play whether the library is open or closed.

“It’s a really great thing that will serve generations to come,” said Skip Auld, CEO of the Anne Arundel County Public Library.

Funding for the Learn & Play space came courtesy of a $20,000 donation by the Severna Park chapter of the Kiwanis Club, which is disbanding due to a decline in membership, according to David Blanch, who has been a member of the Kiwanis Club for over 50 years.

Kiwanis is a worldwide, 108-year-old service organization that focuses on helping children in local communities. The Severna Park chapter’s donation was its final official act of community service.

“This is their grand finale,” said Samantha Zline, branch manager at the Severna Park Library. “They donated the last of their club funds to us, which I think was very, very nice.”

Zline said she began developing a relationship with the organization in 2017 by attending Kiwanis Club community events.

The donation was made in July and the project broke ground in September, according to Christine Feldmann, director of marketing and communications for the Anne Arundel Public Library system.”

The Learn & Play space is unique to the Severna Park branch and aims to meet the needs of the community, according to Auld. He added that there are similar spaces at some of their other locations across the county, including a sensory garden at the Brooklyn Park location, a community garden in Crofton and a wildflower garden in Deale.

“We encourage all of our libraries to be as innovative and creative as they can and think of things that would meet the needs locally in each library,” Auld said.

The Severna Park chapter of the Kiwanis Club has been in the community for nearly 68 years, Blanch said. Some of its service-outreach projects have included scholarships and getting involved in Key Club, a student-led service organization that encourages service work within the Anne Arundel County Public School System.

Blanch said that with the gift the local chapter wanted to leave a lasting legacy of its service to the community.

“Our goal was to have something permanent in Severna Park [that was] children-orientated,” he said. “Children are our main priority.”