Just a few weekends ago, I was part of something special in Lake Worth West – the construction of a KaBoom! playground in a residential neighborhood.
There were more than 260 volunteers from all walks of life: male and female, young and old, black and white, some from Palm Beach County, Broward and other neighboring counties as well from other parts of the state. Some even came from out of state to help.
Many business operators donated food, supplies and their time. Several individuals served on various committees.
The park, at 4150 Vermont Ave., is the result of a collaboration between a few entities namely, the Palm Beach County Office of Community Revitalization and the Parks & Recreation Department, the Office Depot Foundation, KaBOOM!, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and Lake Worth West Residential Planning Group.
This was truly a community effort. Employees of the Sheriff’s Office were out there getting dirty and working hard. In fact, kudos to the members of the Sheriff’s Office grill team who ensured that the volunteers had enough hot dogs and hamburgers for lunch.
I learned that that park was originally planned for Boca Raton. But after “the powers that be” in the city declined the offer – as there is no such need in the city of opulence – officials with the county seized the opportunity.
The idea for the Lake Worth West Park began at a seminar at Office Depot last year when I introduced Houston Tate, manager of the Palm Beach County’s Office of Community Revitalization, to Mary Wong, Office Depot’s Foundation’s president. Ms. Wong shared her story of trying to find a deserving community for the park and Mr. Tate quickly said he had the perfect community where it would be a welcome addition.
That meeting kicked off a yearlong relationship, which included the red tape until Jan. 24 when the ribbon was cut.
I learned how this neighborhood was once ravaged with crime and drugs until residents said, ‘No more’ and took back their community.
A lot of innocent blood was shed on the land where the park now sits, residents and law enforcement officials told me. Several deputies recall how they were frequently called to the neighborhood in the 1990s for crime and other illicit activities.
No more. With the help of county officials, the residents converted a house next door to the park into a community center. Then the community began to change – for the betterment of all.
The park, just east of Military Trail between Melaleuca Lane and Lake Worth Road, serves multiple purposes. Perhaps one of the most important roles is that it is providing a much-needed opportunity for kids to have fun and exert excess energy in a safe environment.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says play is critical to healthy brain development. It allows children to use their creativity while at the same time developing imagination, dexterity and physical, cognitive and emotional strength. Still, today’s children spend less time playing outside than any previous generation in part because only one in five live within walking distance of a park or playground. The resulting play deficit is having profound consequences for kids physically, socially and academically, according to the Academy of Pediatrics. Moreover, playgrounds are more attractive when there’s Thermoplastic Markings.
I feel privileged to have been a part of what happened that Saturday. It was a good day.