Ribbon Cutting for New Playground Sunday

Everyone is invited to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony at 5:00 pm on Sunday for the Paducah Rotary Playground. This week volunteers have been working with the Rotary Club of Paducah to build the playground located at the Fountain Avenue Health Park. The city park is in the Fountain Avenue Neighborhood on a large open space bordered by Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, 13th Street, Madison Street, and 14th Street.
 
Mayor Gayle Kaler says, “Taking this open land and turning it into a beautiful park is part of the strategic plan for the revitalization of the Fountain Avenue Neighborhood.  Neighborhood revitalization goes hand-in-hand with economic development.  I thank the Rotary Club of Paducah for sponsoring and coordinating this playground project.  This is one example of the effectiveness of public-private partnerships.  I’m so proud of every volunteer who has spent time sawing, nailing, and sweating in the heat this week to create a wonderful play space for our children.”
 
To prepare for the week-long building project, the City of Paducah prepared the site and Paducah Power System dug 182 holes for the structures. To make this park a reality, the Rotary Club of Paducah organized 900 4-hour volunteer shifts for June 20 through June 26.  Last year, local children provided input to the building consultant group, Play By Design, regarding the features that they wanted for the 4000 square foot playground.
 
In addition to the Paducah Rotary Playground and plans for private housing development, the first phase of the outdoor health park will include the grading of the free play field, the construction of a 1/3 mile walking trail, the expansion of the community garden, and the installation of outdoor fitness equipment.  The first phase is expected to go out to bid this summer.

The City of Paducah is creating the Fountain Avenue Health Park with the theme of healthy living.  The City has partnered with the Purchase Area Connections for Health, United Way of Paducah-McCracken County, Baptist Health Paducah, Lourdes Hospital, and the Purchase District Health Department.  A grant award to the City from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky is helping with the park’s cost.  The Paducah School System will use the park and the program called CATCH, Coordinated Approach to Child Health, to educate children on the benefits of healthy decisions and healthy lifestyles.
 
The revitalization of the Fountain Avenue Neighborhood began in earnest when the Paducah Board of Commissioners adopted the plan in April 2007 which called for ten new or rehabilitated structures per year for a period of ten years.  To date, 35 new homes have been built and dozens of the original neighborhood homes have undergone major rehabilitation.  More than 360 permits have been issued in the neighborhood for work on more than 200 different addresses.  Approximately $12.4 million in public and private funds have been invested into the neighborhood’s housing since 2007.   There are 25 lots and eight homes available for renovation.

For more information about the Paducah Rotary Playground and how you can purchase a commemorative picket for the fence surrounding the playground, visit www.paducahrotaryplayground.com.  For more information about the Fountain Avenue Neighborhood Revitalization, visit www.fountainave.com.