Grand Prairie » News

By KIRK DICKEY
Thursday, September 18, 2008 7:30 AM CDT

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News Editor

Play hard or go home. Or better yet, play hard near your home.

This month, Grand Prairie was designated a Playful City USA community by KaBOOM!, a national non-profit dedicated to bringing play back into children's lives. Grand Prairie is one of three cities in the state and one of 67 in the nation to earn the designation.

The honor, Parks and Recreation Director Rick Herold said, highlights Grand Prairie's commitment to providing outlets for children to stimulate their imaginations as well as strengthening their bodies.

“As we see more of these computer games and other things, kids are just staying in the house and they are not coming outside and learning that creativity,” he said.

Offering more opportunities for children to play and see the joy of outdoor activities helps fight the growing problem of childhood obesity and can help strengthen family ties.

“It's not just (children) playing on a playground,” Herold said. “It's coming outside and playing as a family unit as well.”

He believes that offering those opportunities was something residents had in mind when they voted in a quarter-cent sales tax in 1999.

“That's what's exciting,” he said. “It's a community-based effort here.”

That community-powered theme will be on display this spring when the parks department plans to tap volunteers to build a new park designed by South Grand Prairie students in a class project this year. Volunteers, community members and city staff will put those designs into action and build that park in one day, April 4.

“We hope it's a real exciting project for the kids,” Parks Boardmember B.J. Nichols said. “It will be a great learning experience for them.”

Nichols said he is proud of the Playful City USA designation and, along with Mayor Pro Tem Ruthe Jackson, was one of the main proponents of the city seeking that title.

“I think that goes hand-in-hand with showing the best side of Grand Prairie,” Nichols said. “We have got some great facilities all over the city of Grand Prairie, from the lake to the brand new ballpark.”

In fact, KaBOOM! noted the Wild World of Parks attraction at QuikTrip Park at Grand Prairie as one of the city's successes and a reason it was named a Playful City. It was far from the only one, however.

Nichols said the application process, organized by Parks Manager Duane Strawn, was “pretty extensive,” recognizing not only the existing parks system, but also a city's future plans, which for Grand Prairie means continually expanding offerings.

“There is always a playground or a park or a recreation facility within a reasonable distance from (residents),” Chris Cato of the parks and recreation marketing department said.

Cato said the parks department is committed to “bringing back play” for Grand Prairie children.

And Jackson, who described herself as a “bur under the saddle,” for seeking the Playful City designation, said she is always pleased with the programs and facilities offered by the city.

“I just think it's wonderful they take these things to heart,” she said.

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