City and community leaders officially will open Discovery Playground, Auburn’s innovative state-of-the-art barrier-free area, in a special ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, part of the Parks, Arts & Recreation’s annual KidsDay festivities at Les Gove Park, 1005 12th St. SE.
The 32,000-square-foot playground and sensory garden are the result of a large-scale $300,000 community fundraising effort.
The new area is one of the region’s largest accessible playgrounds. A community design team of agency professionals, occupational therapy professionals and a youth representative helped create the playground with the physical, sensory and developmental abilities of all children in mind. The park broke ground for construction in April 2010.
“The new Discovery Playground is a family gathering place that will bring joy to children of all ages,” said Lynn Norman, City Councilmember and barrier-free task-force member. “The amazing support and community involvement in this project is proof once again that Auburn is a city with incredible heart.”
The community surpassed the initial fundraising goal and more than $309,000.
Individuals, corporations, businesses, granting agencies, foundations and service clubs have donated. Several service providers donated in-kind services related to the playground construction.
The City of Auburn was awarded $70,000 from a King County Youth Sports Facility grant, the Rotary Club of Auburn and the Employee Recycling Program have donated $10,000, a $5,000 Muckleshoot Charity Grant was received, and both Trillium Employment Services and Waste Management each donated $5,000, City of Auburn Employees donated $3,169, the Auburn Youth Council donated $2,600, the Auburn Noon Lions Club and Multicare each donated $2,500, and the Soroptimist International of Auburn gave $1,600 to the project.
Additionally, individual donations total $5,155, area businesses have donated $1,037.50, students from the Auburn School District donated $1,289.47, and other service agency donations totaled nearly $2,000. In-kind donations of material and professional services totaled more than $86,000 with a donation of most of the large playground boulders being donated by Master’s Stoneworks Artist Andre Pomeroy and the fencing donated by Quality Fence Builders, Inc.
About KidsDay
KidsDay, a free event, will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and feature eight inflatable rides, children activities, live stage entertainment, mini golf, kids’ arts & craft booths, food concessions, more than 55 information/activity vendors and a food court.
Electric go carts, bocce and trampoline fun are new to this year’s lineup.
KidsDay will include a lineup of stage entertainment, kicked off with Radio Disney’s Rockin’ Road Show, award-winning singer-songwriter Brian Vogan, Nancy Stewart and more. Stewart will be presented by the King County Library System at 12:45 p.m.
For the first time, this year’s event will be held at Les Gove Park. Parking is available in and around the park, with overflow parking at Grace Community Church and street parking surrounding the park.
Auburn’s KidsDay began in 1985 and has increased in popularity ever since.
The City of Auburn Parks, Arts & Recreation, Radio Disney AM 1250, Fred Meyer Stores, Wizards of the Coast and Valley Medical Center are sponsoring the event.
For additional event and parking information, a festival map or entertainment schedule, go to www.auburnwa.gov or call 253-931-3043.
