A Butterfly Garden was dedicated at the Fayette Heritage Library in La Grange, Texas as part of a transformative effort to the existing playground originally installed by Gametime over 20 years ago. With the combined efforts of the La Grange Lions Clubs and the City of La Grange, Texas, a large shade structure was funded with grants from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the City of La Grange, and the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA). This shade canopy helps to prevent first- and second-degree burns. According to the AAD, skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and it only takes one blistering sunburn during childhood to nearly double a person's chance of developing the deadliest form of skin cancer, melanoma, later in life. Childhood cancer is also a focus of the Lions Club. The LCRA stated the educational component provided by the butterfly garden, designed by Diana Wilson, Landscape Architect and Director of Planning with - LAND | PLACE, played heavily in their decision to provide grant funding. Ms. Wilson, who is also a Lions Club member, designed a garden on the corner of the playground in the shape of a butterfly wing with native plants conducive to butterfly health, and educational signage. Stepping stones were carefully placed to allow visitors to walk through the garden and watch the butterflies, which the librarians say they enjoy very much! The shade sail was procured and installed with the help of representative Kendall Purgatorio with Houston/Gulf Coast Architectural Specialist. The fabrics used are certified by ASTM and NFPA to reduce ambient temperatures by at least 30 degrees and also reduce UV rays by 96 percent. Previously, during an ambient temperature day of 90 degrees, temperatures on the slides were as high as 151 degrees.

 
The garden is watered by a drip system from a 300- gallon cistern that collects rainwater from the library roof which was donated by Texas Water Savers Company also of La Grange, Texas. The Leo Club of La Grange helped paint the cistern with a scenic mural of butterflies.

With the addition of this shade structure, several community needs were met including a major reduction in temperatures enabling the equipment to be usable year-round, and a reduction in the cost of maintenance and equipment replacement, thus saving the city and the citizen's tax dollars that can be used for other needs. This project has been very well received by parents and children who enjoy the play structure as well as older adults who come to have lunch in the garden and can now enjoy the shade and protection of the canopy year around and learn more about the importance of butterflies.