A $150,000 grant to Legacy Parks Foundation from the Trinity Health Foundation of East Tennessee will fund the construction of a unique adventure play park specifically designed to encourage middle school aged children to get out and play. This new park will be adjacent to South Doyle Middle School and will be designed by Ross Fowler based upon research with students from that school and surrounding neighborhoods. Bryant Research asked current and incoming students what they would like to see in a play space and those wishes were translated into a custom adventure play park design.
Legacy Parks crafted the grant for this project because of South Doyle Middle School’s connection to the existing Baker Creek Preserve and the need to address this particular age group. “Middle school students experience the greatest decline in physical activity than any other age group,” Carol Evans, executive director of Legacy Parks Foundation explained. “We wanted to design a space that encouraged the students to play and be active and hope that they will cross the street and continue that activity with Baker Creek Preserve and along the more than fifty miles of trails found in Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness.”
Legacy Parks will partner with the Knox County Health Department to measure change in overall health and physical activity of the South Doyle Middle School students. The Health Department currently conducts a Youth Risk Behavior Survey and data within that survey specifically addresses physical activity and other health indicators.
The design for the play space includes four play zones with structures for climbing and swinging; a three-hole disk golf course; trails; open meadows for running and playing; and benches and boulders for socializing and resting. The play area will connect directly into Baker Creek Preserve. Construction is expected to begin early in 2017.
The Trinity Health Initiative Grants stimulate projects related to Trinity’s mission of improving the physical, emotional and spiritual health of East Tennessee. Winning initiatives this year address focused needs of infants, children, youth, parents and seniors dealing with current and pressing issues within our society.
