PA park to get upgrade
Published 9:15 pm Thursday, August 23, 2018
By Lorenzo Salinas
Port Arthur residents looking for a better place to play may be in luck next month.
The city of Port Arthur is partnering with the Rebuild Texas Fund and KaBOOM! to render playground improvements to Barbara Jacket Park from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sep. 8.
The event serves as part of an initiative between Rebuild and KaBOOM! to “rebuild and restore 35 community play spaces impacted by Hurricane Harvey,” according to information given by the city of Port Arthur.
Parks and Recreation Director Chandra Alpough said Barbara Jacket Park had suffered some damage to its spray park, bleachers, handicap ramp and basketball court as a result of Harvey.
However, the Sep. 8 event would not be for repairing that damage; it would be for building a playscape, or large playground area, for kids and communities to engage with.
According to information given by the city, “safe places to play are critical to helping kids and communities heal following a disaster.”
“We got the grant from KaBOOM!, and the grant is for different parks across Texas,” Alpough said. “The grant is for playscapes. Currently there are no playscapes in the city, and we thought (Barbara Jacket) would be the ideal park to put one in.”
One of the unique qualities about the playscape is that local kids had a hand in choosing its design.
“KaBOOM! had a design day. Kids got together at the Rec Center and gave their ideas to KaBOOM! on what different kinds of playscapes they wanted,” Alpough said.
The organization took those ideas to come up with a list of finalists with which Port Arthur kids chose the final design.
Sept. 8 will be what Alpough termed a “Build Day,” a day in which kids would be able to participate in a range of fun activities but one where adult volunteers will help build the playscape.
Alpough said there are no immediate plans for repairing the damage done to parts of Barbara Jacket Park; it would all depend on the city budget.
“We filed for repairs, of course…” Alpough said. “We’re hoping there will be room in the budget for it.”
Alpough gave an estimate of one to two years before repairs could be done.
For individuals interested in volunteering, they may sign up at:
https://www.tfaforms.com/4689356.
