Submitted by Merrell Angstreich
LAKE PARK, FL — The Town of Lake Park is proud to announce the unveiling of new playground equipment in West Ilex Park, one of the town’s popular “pocket parks.” The event was celebrated on Tuesday, November 7, by a ribbon-cutting ceremony that was attended by many of the people the playground is designed to serve: Lake Park children between the ages of 5 and 12.
In 2008, the Town of Lake Park converted an unused piece of land into a park in order to add to the free amenities available to the town’s residents. After more than a decade of use and exposure to South Florida weather, the equipment fell into disrepair and the fence became rusted. In addition, due to advancements in ADA guidelines, the playground was no longer ADA compliant, but the town could not afford to replace it, and so it was removed.
Thanks to two separate Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) from the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 fiscal years totaling $103,137, the town was able to acquire and install new play equipment, including a double-bay swing set, slides, climbing elements, engineered safety mulch for underneath and around the equipment, a canvas shade, and more. Security enhancements such as outdoor lighting and security cameras are scheduled to be purchased and installed in the near future. The town will utilize its own funds for a new vinyl-coated chain link fence to replace the old one, an ADA-compliant sidewalk to provide easy access to the play equipment for everyone, and amenities that include a large picnic table and park benches. The Town of Lake Park is grateful to the Palm Beach County Department of Housing & Economic Development for the CDBG grants that made this project possible.
For more information, please call Merrell Angstreich, Town of Lake Park Chief Public Information Officer, at (561) 882-1819.
