Mission...Playpark in SoWal!!

Is there a meeting tonight?????

Is there a meeting tonight?????

I'm pretty sure we decided that it was more prudent to just meet with Cindy Meadows first and then decide from there what to do based on how this type of thing works it's way up, according to her.

You gulls are da bomb. Is there any sort of gathering/meeting plan coming up?

Or maybe there is a family friendly something going on this weekend that we can bring kids, yak about the playground, and have a glass of wine---

if it is warm, maybe a beach afternoon at Grayton?

I have a family bible study to go to tonight. I can't make the meeting at the Parks & Rec. I don't think it would hurt if someone wants to go and be an observer and see what they are planning. It might give us a little more info before we meet with Cindy. What do you think?
I also like Jdarg's idea about a Grayton outing!

As I understand it, there is a plan in place with funds designated to a building and developing a recreational facility, it's just a matter of land. They are trying to buy more land by Helen McCall, but that is not a done deal. Otherwise, we need a St. Joe or someone else to donate some land...

We have the meeting on the 21st and then this issue about having the funds already there, only needing land. I second the waiting for the meeting with Cindy and then going from there AND JDarg's idea about this weekend!

Well, I think, hopefully, Cindy Meadows will have info on the amount of funds available. I think from there we need to take a hard look at what we want, what the available funds are, and whether or not we think we'll need additional funds from the community to get what we want.

The land will obviously be a completely different issue.

Besides proposing to attach the park to an existing county facility, you may want to check with the county on available county land. The county owns property scattered around SoWal. If they do not have another purpose for it, they may allow it to be used as a park. That may help to get around the big dollars needed for the purchase of land.

The county owned land can be seen on their GIS map site.
at this link. You have to zoom in before it becomes visible.

http://maps.geocortex.net/imf-5.1.002/sites/walton/jsp/launch.jsp

Well, I think, hopefully, Cindy Meadows will have info on the amount of funds available. I think from there we need to take a hard look at what we want, what the available funds are, and whether or not we think we'll need additional funds from the community to get what we want.

The land will obviously be a completely different issue.

This & BDarg's suggestion are key. I tried to multi-quote, but my brain and my computer are not functioning well together right now. Who needs to be at the Cindy Meadows' meeting? What time is it? If you need to, PM me about it.

I have been swearing that I wouldn't spend my life on the computer , so I am only on about every other day right now. If you don't hear from me immediately, that is why.

Ok, Ladies & Gentlemen: Time to write your top 10 list of things you would like to see in the park! A couple of us are meeting with Cindy tomorrow and would like to be able to present what we would like. Don't be bashful!
You can be specific and give details or you can just list the items, Basketball Court, climbing equipment etc.

Anyone care to share their park wants?

I don't think we need a sandbox.


OK- I'll be serious.

Decent slides that don't send the kid shooting straight into the dirt.

Decent drainage- no puddles ANYWHERE.

Nice grassy areas.

Lots of shade structures with concrete underneath so it doesn't get too grubby. Picnic tables.

Potties. And potties big enough for an adult AND kid in one stall.

Water fountains.

Some sort of water feature, maybe separate, like the one in Seacrest.

Equipment for little kids and big kids.

I would like to see this playground close to the library- what a great fit!:clap_1:

OK- gotta rest.

Ok, I've been lurking long enough, this is my first time to actually POST on these boards... I've been reading this thread, I saw the article in the Daily News, and I think it is really cool and exciting that you all are making this happen. I live in FWB, am planning on moving to SoWal as soon as I sell my condo here; no kids yet, but I am a future momma and I would love to see a great park in my soon-to-be new hometown (er, area? region? LOL)...

Anyway, there is some really neat stuff out there for playparks these days; I would love to see some interactive musical equipment... check out these links

http://www.soundplay.com/drums.html
(I think the gator and the sea turtle drums would both be cool, fits in the local fauna)

http://www.groundsforplay.com/music.html

soundplay.com also has a great resources links page with all kinds of info:
http://www.soundplay.com/resources.html

there is a company I found in those links that is based in florida, offers a discount to FL gov't purchases of their equipment, looks promising if we can get a gov't official to write a check:
http://piazzainc.com/index.htm

This article about the history of playgrounds from the NY Times is kinda interesting:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/14/w...tml?ex=1172206800&en=9d7e682a3aff2d19&ei=5070


OK enough links for now, I hope they are helpful and inspiring! I'm looking forward to seeing what takes shape, and would like to help out in any way I'm able...

WCW!! Grayt info, we had some of the music interactive playstations at the park where I used to live- the kids loved it.

Basketball courts
Swings for little kids, big kids and handicap kids
A good fence- little beach likes to try to escape (or maybe it's to "explore")
Picnic tabes
Good kid friendly bathrooms- a must!!
Water fountains
places for the big kids to climb, seperate places for the little ones to climb

I'd be happy with anything!

Lots of grass (most of us don't have big yards)
Swings
Climbing wall
Lots of shade
A pavillion
Bathroom facilities
Basketball hoops
Sand volleyball court
Tetherball (Duh!)
Fence around playground

Place to skateboard

YES!! Skateboarding place would be wonderful!! My son would love you:clap_1:

I've been really busy lately, but... I really wanted to be involved in the meeting today. Probably too late now

I think we wrote down some of the stuff I said I wanted at the last meeting in the Market.

Fenced in with *one* entrance and exit.
Creative shading for the equipment and total shading for the seating/eating areas.
Equipment that is safe for children under 5. (Seperate units for 2-5 and 5-12 ranges)
It would also be nice to have a toddler (under 2 area like they have at the Destin park).
High visibility throughout the playground. Open design.
Tire swing (I loved those as a kid).
A water feature, not necessarily right away, but eventually.
I would like to avoid sand and use either Poured-In surfacing or something like Forever Lawn. I'm not a fan of loose fill (tire chunks, wood chips, sand, etc..) because it can hide things like broken glass.
Swings!
A safer version of a see-saw, like the one in the Playmore catalog.
Water fountains, low enough to little guys.
Good clean restrooms with a changing table and those little seats that hang on the wall to strap the toddlers in

Thanks for all the great ideas! Keep them coming. We need to put a prioritized list together.

Three of us met with Cindy Meadows today and the meeting went grayt. She is extremely supportive and gave us a lot of hope that we could have something by the end of the year. We'll put together the notes and post them when we have more time. Got to go pick up the daughter from softball!

Thanks for all the great ideas! Keep them coming. We need to put a prioritized list together.

Three of us met with Cindy Meadows today and the meeting went grayt. She is extremely supportive and gave us a lot of hope that we could have something by the end of the year. We'll put together the notes and post them when we have more time. Got to go pick up the daughter from softball!

:clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1:

Yea, all these ideas sound great!!!!! I like all the suggestions!!!!! Let me know when I can do something!!!!

Full write up on the meeting still to come, but in the meantime, we need a name for our group. Suggestions?

Mission Playpark Moms
Mission Playpark Org
SoWal Playpark Org
Parents for Parks

All you creative types need to jump in here!

SWCPP South Walton Community Park Parents? with or without parents.
If we say moms, I don't want to exclude any potential help from any dads.
What if people want to help who don't have kids? Maybe SWCPP: South Walton Community Park People!

What about a theme for the park?

We just found a very cute climbing structure in the catalog Cindy gave us. Three slides form a foot! What if we had a foot prints theme through out the park, have foot prints instead of hand prints for potential donors if we need them, The poem Footprints in the Sand as a plaque somewhere, I think the boy scout creed says something about footprints regarding taking care of parks? A lot of feet will walk through this park! Somebody run with this please and start your creative juices flowing. This slide is adorable!

South Walton Community Funn Park!

South Walton Community Funn Park!

.org:clap_1: :clap_1: