By Renee Larr
The City of Fishers was recently designated a 2017 Playful City USA Community by KaBOOM! for the ninth time. The award honors cities across the U.S. committed to offering fun, playful activities for children to encourage health and wellness.
“At the beginning of this year we filled out an application about what we’ve been doing, what our park system is like and some of the new program offerings we’ve put together in the past year,” said Tony Elliot, director of Fishers Parks and Recreation.
KaBOOM! was impressed by many aspects of the department’s work. A one-of-a-kind program called Nature First was one of the reasons Fishers was chosen.
“The program gets every first-grader in Hamilton Southeaster Schools out to Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve each year. It also brings our Chief Naturalist Danesa Stolz to each first-grade classroom multiple times throughout the year,” Elliot said. “It’s a very unique program.”
The second factor in KaBOOM’s decision was the free and reduced-price summer camps offered by Fishers Parks and Recreation Dept.
“We worked in collaboration with Fishers Youth Assistance Program to identify kids in need. We offer free and reduced camps to kids with financial needs. There is sort of an inclusiveness that we provided with our camps for the first time,” Elliot said.
The third factor was a program called Biz Kids.
“We partnered with Launch Fishers, and it gives kids an opportunity to come out and sell various items through a pop-up tent at the Fishers’ Farmers Market. It’s a really unique engagement opportunity for kids,” Elliot said.
He said he hopes the award will serve as a challenge to both Fishers Parks and Recration and the community to continue to engage the community in creating fun, innovative ways for kids to play.
“In a way it’s an award, but in a way it’s also something that should inspire us as a community to advance physical and mental wellness in the community,” Elliot said.
For more, visit fishers.in.us/parks.
