Lake Orion Comes Together to Build Children’s Park
(Amanda Pordon, May 23, 2022)
Lake Orion, MI – Before technology was one of the main ways to keep children entertained, an excellent way to keep them occupied was to take them to the local park. Downtown Lake Orion’s Children’s Park has entertained children for hours, letting them use their imagination to play pirates or princesses and princes. All this use eventually led to wear and tear, which led to the park’s recent replacement.
On Saturday, May 14th, Children’s Park in downtown Lake Orion was filled with dozens of volunteers who came to help build a new, safe play structure for the community to enjoy. The new playground was funded by the Lake Orion Downtown Development Authority.
Molly LaLone, Lake Orion DDA Executive Director, said, “Parks and Rec came to the Downtown Development Authority board and said they needed help replacing all of the equipment in the park.” The board decided to fund the project entirely, spending over $78,000 in funds for the community investment. DDA funding comes from tax revenue from local businesses that is allocated to downtown improvements, promotions, and other needs. Volunteers helping to build the park kept the price down.
According to Lake Orion Village Council Member Teresa Rutt, the new playground has three bays of swings, including a new ADA swing, with a structure meant for aged five to 12. It features rope climbing and netting, which were not in the old play structure. There is also a small play area for children aged two to five.
The plan for the new play set was to have it completed by the end of Saturday, but rain put the project on hold. Many volunteers returned Sunday to continue working on the play structure. Details have been added, and the park is now open!
Children’s Park is home to many events during the year, like the Lake Orion Live music series, the Christmas Sings and Stroll, as well as the occasional wedding at the gazebo. “We want to make sure Children’s Park remains a safe and fun place for families to spend time together,” said LaLone.
Learn more about Downtown Lake Orion at https://downtownlakeorion.org/.
