Grant gives park a new purpose

El Portal gives lot to tots

By IVONNE PEREZ
Herald Staff Writer

The parks division of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection recently awarded the village a $50,000 grant to upgrade and revitalize the small shady area behind the village hall.

``I think it's a great opportunity and I hope the community takes advantage of it,'' said Kate Rawlinson, who currently takes her 3-year-old son bike riding in the area. ``Children gather in my back yard because they have playground equipment there.''

A date for construction to begin has not been set yet, but the name has, Flo Gladwin Memorial Park, a well-known village resident who died last year. If all goes as planned, the village kids will move from back yards to City Hall.

``We're going to have children around City Hall again,'' Mayor Anna E. Ward said.

The grassy area at 500 NE 87th St. was once a park. Although the gate remains open and hours are posted, the park's only occupants are rusty lamp posts, two old and cracked wooden benches, a faded shuffle board court and a desolate basketball court.

With the grant, the village hopes to create a colorful 10,000-square foot playground for kids 2 to 5 years old.

It will have a swing set in primary colors, a play area with two slides -- one with an enclosed tunnel -- and a resurfaced shuffle board and tennis/multipurpose court.

The park will even have two shaded wood benches for parents to take it all in.

``It has been an idle, dead park,'' said Village Clerk Neva Reed. ``Thanks to the state, it's going to be alive.''

The park's lonely fate came three years ago when the village cut its funding from the budget. The city used the money to upgrade the village clerk's office instead. The council also pushed to have all the outdated equipment removed from the park.

Villagers United, the homeowners group, opposed the park closing down and even raised money to buy new equipment, collecting as much as $800.

The grant beat them to it.

``I hope the council gets community input on how that $50,000 is spent for the good of the community,'' Rawlinson said.

One way she thinks the village could generate support is by having the residents participate in building the park.

``We would take ownership of the park once it is built by building it,'' she said. ``I think that's important.''