Friday, Aug. 27
August 27, 2010
Hugh Anthony Louviere
August 31, 2010
The Downtown Marina in Houma should soon appeal to a younger demographic.
The marina will be the home of a new KaBOOM! playground Sept. 10, following a six-hour build that begins at 10 a.m.
Anne Picou, manager of the Main Street division of the Terrebonne Parish Planning and Zoning Department, applied for a grant in July and received word in early August that they would be awarded the grant and the playground.
“This KaBoom portion, what’s going to happen is Downtown Development is taking over that Downtown Marina, and we just got a grant to put KaBoom equipment up there, and that’s going to be a little playground area, and they’re going to put it in the Downtown Marina,” Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet said.
The playground area will be a 50-foot-by-50-foot square plot with four swings, three slides and a couple of seesaws and jungle gyms.
Ariel Fortune is the KaBOOM! project manager for the Downtown Marina playground. Fortune has been with the company for two years, and this will be the 26th time she manages a build.
“My favorite part is watching a community do something for their kids,” Fortune said. “Coming out and doing it for the right reasons and finding out what they can do with their own two hands.”
KaBOOM! is a non-profit organization that has built more than 1,800 playgrounds.
The build itself may only take six hours, but two months of planning go into each playground, including a day of designing when they meet with local children to get their perspective on what should be included in each area.
Picou said 65 volunteers have already agreed to take part in the build, but she is looking for at least 100. Those interested in volunteering can contact her at (985) 873-6408. Food and drinks will be provided.
The Downtown Marina in Houma will be the site of a KaBOOM! playground to be constructed Sept. 10. The build will take six hours and will include a 50-foot-by-50-foot square plot with four swings, three slides and a couple of seesaws and jungle gyms. ERIC BESSON
