Sounds Like A Plan

Members of the Play Commission at their first meeting on June 30th will finalize this year's "action plan for play"--a document that will identify specific, implementable steps that work towards improving quality of, quantity of and access to play opportunities within the community.

Quantity is defined as the number of usable playspaces, quality is the subjective factors that make playspaces engaging, exciting, interesting, and fun, and access is both ability to get to a playspace (roads, trails) and a lack of barriers (cost, safety, traffic, buildings, equity).

The draft action plan currently presents nine meaningful action items that must be completed between the period of June 1, 2009 and May 1, 2010. Those items include:

• Investigate opportunities for holiday/summer use of school playspaces;
• Assist school district with plans to redevelop playspace at Rapp St. school;
• Initiate a planning process that better incorporates needs of preschool kids;
• Improve signage to the Meadow Ridge Park playspace;
• Add one or more pavilions adjacent to playspaces; and
• Identify and design a playspace for seniors.

The action plan will be open for public comment after it is finalized by the Play Commission and before its adoption by the Columbia City Council.