Shown at the ribbon cutting ceremony, from left, AWC members Terre Sutherland and Leigh Hall; Hamner Park Director Mike Ragsdale; AWC members Jane Shirah and Traci Richey; Madison DuBoise of the WACF; Women's Club Immediate Past President Laurie McGriff; Club President Cynthia Cunningham; Arley Mayor Johnny Taylor; Brandon Woods, owner of Perfect Playgrounds; Morgan Curry, of the WACF and AWC's Frances Hanna and Angela Guiser.
ARLEY - A partnership between the Arley Women’s Club, the Town of Arley and the Walker Area Community Foundation has expanded recreational opportunities by additions to both the playground and the walking trail area of Hamner Park, creating a bigger boost in tourism and economic development.
The total project of around $40,000 was made possible thanks to $25,000 provided by the WACF, with the remainder of the project funded by the AWC to provide a 35x21 canopy over the playground after complaints from parents of children coming in contact with hot playground surfaces, according to project partners.
The project costs also included the installation of three pieces of exercise equipment at different locations along the walking trail at the park, they said.
“We had received some concerns from parents that the playground equipment tended to get very hot,” emphasized AWC Club President Cynthia Cunningham. “With the temperatures we’ve had this summer, being able to put the canopy up gives us a fully shaded playground area for the kids.
“That has been a tremendous asset to Hamner Park,” Cunningham pointed out. “It creates a lovely shaded spot for the kids to play and not have to worry about hot slides and hot surfaces. It makes it so much more user-friendly.”
Laurie McGriff, immediate past president of the AWC, noted the exercise equipment was added in three locations along the walking trail to help promote fitness.
“They are sturdy pieces of equipment that should last a long time,” McGriff said. The exercise equipment includes a two-person back and arms combo, an in-ground rowing machine and a two-person pull up and dip combo, officials said.
“We are very excited to partner with the Arley Women’s Club to promote health and recreation and shade for Arley,” stated Morgan Curry, grants manager for the WACF.
“It takes more than just us,” Curry pointed out. “It takes more than money to make a project work. It takes the community.”
See complete story in the Northwest Alabamian.
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