“Whoo, hoo, hoo!”
“All right!”
“Yeah!”
Just a smattering of the cries that filled a recent sunny day as kids tried out the two ziplines and other fresh child-pleasing gizmos at the north end of Isaac Evans Park.
“Isn’t it awesome,” said Daryl Faber, director of Auburn Parks, Arts and Recreation, looking on as 3-year-old Reiley took up the challenge, squealing with delight as she crossed over the playground. “I don’t know anybody else who has dueling ziplines.”
More than 200 people converged on the park to put together the new playground and spruce things up during last month’s annual one-day Clean Sweep.
Faber said the playground replaces an older one that had seen its day,
It’s stuff like this that recently led KaBOOM! to designate Auburn as a Playful City USA – for the eighth year in a row. Auburn is one of only four cities in the state to have earned the honor this year, for making it easy for kids to get balanced and active play, and for making play part of the solution for all those tough challenges confronting cities these days.
This year, the KaBOOM! Playful City USA program honored 257 communities across the nation.
“We are thrilled to recognize these communities that have invested their time and efforts to put kids first,” said KaBOOM! CEO James Siegal. “Balanced and active play is crucial to the well-being of kids and the communities that they thrive in. By integrating play into cities, the leaders of Playful Cities USA are working to attract and retain the thousands of families that want homes in close proximity to safe places to play.”
Via the KaBOOM! Playful City USA program, Auburn in the last five years received grants totaling $135,000, among them:
• $20,000 to help fund the Game Farm Park playground in 2011;
• $15,000 to install outdoor fitness equipment at Game Farm Park in 2013;
• $50,000 to build the new playground at Brannan Park in 2013;
• $20,000 to help build the new playground at Lea Hill Park in 2013;
• $15,000 to help fund new playground equipment at Dykstra Park in 2015;
• And $15,000 to help fund the new playground equipment at Isaac Evans Park.
“We plan to continue to work with the community to create opportunities and spaces for play that promote a healthy and livable community,” Faber said.
Indeed, this month the City expects to open the new Community and Event Center and the Rec. Teen Center at the north end of Les Gove Park. And from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays July 5 through Aug. 19, there’s going to be a free summer fun-in-the-park, drop-in play program at Lea Hill, Brannan, Cedar Lanes and Terminal parks.
Participating in Isaac Evans set up were the Alaska USA Federal Credit Union; Alpine Ridge Insurance; Price Helton Funeral Home; TREAD 3219 FIRST Robotics Team; Waste Management; Auburn Mountainview Football, the Auburn Junior City Council; the Auburn Youth Council; Latino’s Unidos/Olympic Middle School; Penco Auburn North and South McDonald’s; Cub Scout Troop 306; Girl Scout Troop 41590; the American Karate Escrima Association; Key Club; Auburn Riverside High’s National Honor Society; Marshall’s; Mt. Baker Builders Club; the Auburn Riverside Key Club; Pyung An Presbyterian Church and individuals and families.
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