The Lawton City Council accepted a $40,000 donation recently for the KIDZONE remodeling project in Greer Park.
On behalf of the Great Plains AMBUCS chapter, former City Councilman Kelly Harris presented an oversized $40,000 check to the city’s Parks and Recreation Department “in support of Greer Park’s KIDZONE remodeling improvement project.”
That job began last month with demolition of the aged Old Weststyle fort in KIDZONE. “Our chapter built the KIDZONE 25 years ago,” Harris noted.
“As you know, KIDZONE has long been a cherished space for families, children, and community members to gather, enjoy nature, and participate in recreational activities. However, it needs some much-needed upgrades to better serve our growing city,” Parks and Recreation Director Larry Parks wrote to the AMBUCS chapter last September.
Removal of the fort clears the way for construction of “a new and improved play unit,” Parks Supervisor Michael Glaze-Lyle said. That was “a crucial step before we can begin resurfacing and constructing the new KIDZONE, which will provide a world-class facility for our community.”
The project will feature installation of new playground equipment, a splash pad, zip lines, other “cutting- edge amenities,” and landscaping, Parks said.
In addition, the restroom will be renovated, fencing around the tennis court will be repaired, the trail will be improved, lighting will be installed, and seven security cameras have been placed in the park, which is off Northwest 38th Street north of Gore Boulevard.
The upgrade to Greer Park is expected to cost $1,182,085, f inanced with PROPEL 2040 funds coupled with a $240,246 SPARK grant from Play and Park Structures of Choctaw, Oklahoma, plus the AMBUCS donation.
Greer Park will be closed for at least three months “to accommodate the upgrades,” city officials said. The park is expected to reopen in mid-June.
The AMBUCS chapter’s donation will “make a meaningful impact in helping us create a vibrant, safe, and inclusive play space that promotes wellness, connection, and lets the world know we are open for business,” Parks said.
“This donation takes us up over $2 million in projects during the last 43 years,” Harris told Southwest Ledger.