Covington Community Foundation has announced a $50,000 grant to “The Friends of the Covington City Park.”
The Friends are a local group of citizens who have come together to replace the ageing playground equipment in the Covington City Park with a state-of-the-art playscape that will encourage children from the community to play outside and attract more families to Covington and the City Park. The group has raised $295,000 with an ultimate goal of raising $695,000.
Dale White, CEO of the Community Foundation states, “Thesevolunteers are a dedicated and cohesive group of citizenswho have great vision and are committed to seeing this project get accomplished over a several year period. They are off to a tremendous start and the Foundation wants to encourage them with this donation due to thehard work and community-mindedness they are exhibiting.”
The vision for the new play space is three-pronged:
1) Adventurous – the goal is for the play space to benefit children’s physical and mental development by providing features that are unique, fun and challenging. (For example: climbing structures, tunnel slides, rope courses, etc.)
2) Natural – the desire is for the play space to encourage children to connect with nature by incorporating natural play elements and integrating vegetation in the landscape design. (For example: log steps, natural balance beam, rocks, sand pit with loose parts, native shrubs, etc.)
3) All-inclusive – the play space will be accessible and attractive to children of all ages and mental and physical ability (For example: splash pad, sand table, wheel-chair accessible, paths and ramps, etc.)
Plans also include a 6’ trike path, outdoor fitness equipment (for active attendees to enjoy), a family restroom, and a covered picnic area.
Donations can be made online at www.wicf-inc.org or mailed to: Covington Community Foundation, ATTN: Park Playground Project, PO Box 175, Covington, IN 47932-0175.
Western Indiana Community Foundation, is a not-for-profit public charity established in 1990 to serve donors, award grants and scholarships, and provide leadership to improve all of Fountain and Vermillion County, IN.
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First Row: (L to R) Raquel Stultz, President of the Board of Directors – Covington Community Foundation, Representatives of Friends of the Covington City Park – Greg Clingan, Leah Keele, Linda McGurk, Amanda Strawser
Second Row: Dale White, Chief Executive Officer – Western Indiana Community Foundation