McKinney’s retired playgrounds find new life in communities around the world

A new playground has opened at Ashe Woods Park in McKinney — and the old one is already headed overseas. Every 15 years, the city retires its playgrounds, but instead of discarding them, they’re rebuilt and shipped to villages in developing countries. The nonprofit behind the effort began two decades ago after its founder saw how transformative a simple playground could be for children who had never experienced one.