Playground Brightens Up Shelby Farms

By Mearl Purvis - Fox News Memphis

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Memphis, Tn - Shelby Farms is one step closer to being what planners envision as the greatest urban park in the world.

Tuesday, the Plough Foundation kicked up dust to begin the building of a world class playground. They even took design ideas from the kids.

Shelby Farms Park Conservancy has approved a 21st century Woodland Discovery Playground where green things will grow above kid’s heads and under their feet. They will slide along where the flowers grow and play in a 1.5 mile long tunnel, all their ideas.

“You heard the other day Forbes magazine put us one of the worst cities in Country, I don’t agree with that,” said interim County Mayor Joe Ford. “Things like we’re doing today will make this a great county, and a great city to live in.”

This groundbreaking day is also the birthday of Dr. Seuss. The fateful warnings of Seuss’ lovable Lorax rang out through the trees, as Fox 13’s own Mearl Purvis read to the kids. The environmental message is even more poignant now than it was when the book was published almost 40 years ago.

Students gave a firm commitment that they won’t let the mean character Once-ler cut down trees in the park. And, the adults have committed to planting an additional 80 native trees just for their playground area and more than 60 thousand shrubs to form a green fence. They will have their own green rooms for play activities, appropriately called nests.

“We often worry about what’s not right. This is about what’s right, what’s possible,” said Barbara Hyde of the Shelby Farms Conservancy. “Making dreams for families for generations, bringing communities together in a healthy, joyful way.”

Woodland Discovery Playground is scheduled to open in November.

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Playground Brightens Up Shelby Farms