Over the course of the past four years or so, parks all over the city have gotten a face lift. Somehow, Central Tacoma seemed to end up at the end of the line. At long last, three center city parks are receiving playground upgrades: Franklin, Wright, and McCarver. This summer I ran into Ms. Darcy and her toddler Max at Franklin Park, where he was magnetically attracted to the orange caution tape that was supposed to signal to pre-verbal children that they should not climb the decaying remnants of the Big Toy. We talked about feeling a little bit less than excited about the parks in her area, and hoping that some of the promised upgrades would come sooner rather than later.
Yesterday, Tacoma's kids got their first crack at "Discovery Pond," a wonderful combination playground/nature exhibit outside the Tacoma Nature Center.
At 7 and 9, my kids still love to poke around inside the Nature Center, but they are getting a little bit old for the exhibits. Discovery Pond is the perfect addition for kids of all ages, but especially for school-aged kids who may have outgrown the smaller indoor space.
You've already voted yes on the parks levy, so how else can you show your support for our amazing parks and recreational programs? Show up at S. 19th and Stevens today, (in front of the Nature Center, on S. 19th) between 3 and 5 pm, to wave signs and remind Tacoma's voters to fill out their ballots.
Get there between 3:30 and 4 and you may have your picture in the paper.
This summer, Metro Parks Tacoma asked Gonyea Boys and Girls Club campers to design their vision of the new Kandle Park recreational pool. Project Manager Curtis Hancock chose one design from among many wonderfully creative offerings, which stood out for "the perfect combination of interactivity and randomness that makes a very popular toy."
Yesterday, Tacoma's kids got their first crack at "Discovery Pond," a wonderful combination playground/nature exhibit outside the Tacoma Nature Center.
