PPG has announced the completion of a Colorful Communities project in Soborg, Denmark, that helped to revitalize and add shelter and seating to the parkour area of the City’s Arena, an outdoor activity space adjacent to the Hoje Gladsaxe housing project. The Colorful Communities program provides PPG employees and products along with financial contributions to bring color and vitality to communities where our company operates around the world. The program increases PPG’s commitment to invest in communities by adding $10 million to support efforts made during a 10-year period.

The project brought together more than 30 volunteers who are employees at PPG’s nearby architectural coatings, automotive refinish, and protective and marine coatings operations in Soborg to spend two days revitalizing the parkour area. PPG provided more than $18,500 for the project, as well as about 150 liters of DYRUP® Façade Extra paint products in 10 colors.

Young residents who use the City’s Arena (Byens Arena) – an outdoor area that encourages movement, activity and play, mostly for residents of the adjacent 2,500-unit Hoje Gladsaxe housing project – expressed a desire for development and beautification of the parkour area. There was a need to make the area more welcoming in the hope of inviting more use. Large concrete features were installed to provide shelter and accommodation for visitors, and artist Anders Benmouyal facilitated a workshop where PPG employees and Hoje Gladsaxe residents came together and decorated the new concrete features.

“From the beginning, we were sure that revitalizing an area of Hoje Gladsaxe was right for this project – the residents are so close to our site, they are actually our neighbors,” said Peter Soerensen, PPG general manager, architectural coatings, Denmark. “We hope this is the beginning of close cooperation on more community initiatives. Already we are planning an educational day at our PPG site for local school students.”