CITY OF LAKELAND ANNOUNCES NEW SUNFLOWER PRESCHOOL PLAYGROUND

LAKELAND, FL (March 18, 2010) – The City of Lakeland is pleased to announce the installation of Sunflower Preschool Playground, a wonderful new addition at Barnett Family Park on Lake Mirror with construction to start Summer 2010.  The development and funding of Sunflower Preschool Playground is modeled after the successful Common Ground that continues to provide inclusive play for thousands of children each week.  Sunflower Playground will be the second community lead parks project for the City of Lakeland.

Sunflower Playground has been designed to target age appropriate equipment that provides maximum early childhood developmental play opportunities for 3-5 year olds.  Weezie Vreeland, who is spearheading the community fundraising efforts for the park said, “Toddlers are often an afterthought in the typical playground.  We are excited about creating a special place that focuses on the developmental needs of these children and at the same time accommodates the parents who often have strollers, other siblings, and numerous challenges associated with early childhood.”

Bill Tinsley, Director of Parks and Recreation said, “We are very eager to start this play opportunity.  We have already started some preliminary design of the park and we know it is going to feature unique playground equipment that is currently not available in our community.”  He added, “Young families are going to be thrilled when this park is completed.”

Barnett Family Park, which was donated to the citizens of Lakeland by Carol and Barney Barnett in 2004, will provide the perfect setting for the new playground with its existing playground, wading pool, and other features designed to accommodate the family.   Sunflower Playground will include a bright and colorful pallet of play equipment selected for imagination qualities, the ability to provide physical development and most important, fun!  Emphasis on sun protection, accessibility, and integrating landscaping into the playground are design features of Sunflower pre-school playground.

Lakeland is a unique Central Florida community.  Once again a local community need has been identified and a group of volunteers along with The Lakeland Downtown Kiwanis Club and The Lakeland Rotary Club are leading a fundraising campaign in support of this important project.  Park construction is slated to start this summer with the goal to celebrate a December 4th, 2010 grand opening. Future maintenance of the park will be achieved with a dedicated fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Lakeland. The executive committee wants to insure that all interested citizens have a chance to be part of this effort.  For additional opportunities to support Sunflower Pre-school Playground please visit our website at www.sunflowerplayground.org.

CONTACTS:

Kevin Cook

City of Lakeland

863/834-6264

Weezie Vreeland

863/646-3071