Things are getting more fun for kids in Pembroke.

The city recently added playground equipment to the recreation complex on Lanier Street behind the J. Dixie Harn Community Center. The site already had the equipment constructed as of Monday, the day the mulch was scheduled to be laid.

The playground was expected to be ready before Christmas, Pembroke Recreation Director Mandy Toole said. An official opening ceremony has yet to be scheduled, although Toole didn’t expect that to deter kids looking to blow off holiday steam.

“As soon as that’s complete, I’m not going to be able to keep people off of it,” she said.

The playground set includes several slides, a tunnel and various other climbing challenges on its two levels. The set is designed for children ages 5-12.

The new equipment replaces older equipment that created safety concerns. The playground was shut down last year.

What got things going toward the playground project was a $25,000 grant the city received in June from State Farm Insurance’s Neighborhood Assist program. Pembroke earned the grant as one of 40 winners nationwide that were determined by online voting. Pembroke, a city of about 2,600 people, received more than 86,000 votes.

The project was estimated to cost about $60,000. The city received about $15,000 from community and corporate donors before the grant.

A GoFundMe account was set up online to garner more money toward the goal. As of Dec. 18, the account had $235. Toole said some money from the recreation fund was put into the purchase.