Temple Crest Playground Designed By Kids Becomes Reality, Tampa

A playground envisioned by the children of the Temple Crest neighborhood in Tampa is now a reality, thanks to the City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department, KABOOM!, Friends of Tampa Recreation, Inc. and Foresters.

In less than eight hours and with the help of more than 200 volunteers, a new play space was built at Temple Crest Park, at 8116 N. 37th St. in Tampa. Plans for the park began at a Design Day held in September, where local children and community leaders met with organizers for KaBOOM! and Foresters to submit ideas in the form of drawings to create the final design of the playground.

“A playground is an important piece for the revitalization of a community,” says Foresters Senior VP Kasia Czarski. “Not only does it provide a first step towards keeping children healthy, but it's a safe, central location for the entire neighborhood to get together.”

Featuring ball fields, grills, play courts, picnic areas and a community center prior to the addition, the new 2,500-square-foot playground includes new play spaces such as a Glide Slide, Spiral Climber and Vertical Adventure Tube.

“Every child deserves a really cool place where they can play,” says Mark Downing of Friends of Tampa Recreation, Inc. “We're committed to helping create those spaces in Tampa and are pleased to sponsor our fifth playground build with KaBOOM! and the City of Tampa.”

Since 2006, $7 million has been invested by Foresters in conjunction with KaBOOM!, totaling almost 100 playgrounds built or planned across the United States and Canada; over the past 15 years, more than 2.6 million children and families have benefited from the partnership between Foresters and KaBOOM!

“Foresters believes in providing opportunities for families to spend quality time together,” Czarski says.

The project is one of more than 150 playground builds led by KaBOOM! in 2012 as an effort to provide a great play space within walking distance of every child in the country.

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Kasia Czarski, Foresters & Mark Downing, Friends of Tampa Recreation, Inc.