There is no better place for a child to explore their natural curiosity than to spend a day at a neighborhood park. Being able to interact with other children while exploring the features of the site is enough to keep most kids busy for hours. During these formative years, an important part of a child's life is the time they spend at local parks and playgrounds. For that reason, these locations can be viewed as an example of the character of the community and a measurement of the community's attitude towards children.

A team of local artists created $75,000 worth of glazed pottery clay for the entryway of Sunshine Park, a 10-acre site that contains a one acre playground.

For a child, there is nothing more exciting than the sight of a playground. Especially if that play area is located in the comfort of their own neighborhood. Some areas are fortunate enough to have highly maintained parks that conform to the latest in safety requirements and recreational equipment. However, there are many places across the country without the luxury of a neighborhood park. These communities must deal with the frustration of having to drive long distances in order to visit a playground.

One such community recently decided to come to together in an effort to build a new local park. On June 6th, an army of volunteers converged to construct a neighborhood playground in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Over a four day period, the team created a play area containing various equipment and decorative features, including a 15-foot butterfly and a climbing wall.

Surrounded by an assortment of trees and plant material, Sunshine Park is a testament to the commitment of the community. People with various backgrounds and professions contributed to the cause. "It was great seeing such a large number of people participate in the project," said Gary Crumley, a Landscape Architect who helped coordinate the project.

In order to get input from many different sources, various committees were formed made up of professionals, community members and children. Everyone had a chance to express what they would want to see at the new park. It was decided that one acre of the 10-acre plan would be reserved for a playground.

The design concept came together in a cohesive manner because various firms and individuals played important roles in the process. One such firm was Barry Segal & Lee Archin of Leathers & Associates, who assisted with the design and implementation of the plan. The firm specializes in wood park design/build projects and have participated in volunteer-driven parks across the country. In addition, Julie Geismann and Sheri Nicholson coordinated and campaigned the community for volunteers to bring the project to life.

The effort of the professionals and volunteers who worked on the project will be enjoyed by the children of the community for many years to come. "It was like a week at the Peace Corps," said Crumley. "Everybody here became a new friend and ally in the creation of something for everyone's enjoyment...but especially for the kids."