City opens new playground at Culpepper Park

A new playground with activities for all ages, shade, swings and benches opened in Daleville this week.

The city of Daleville and Daleville Recreation Department hosted a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for Phase II of Culpepper Park in front of a packed crowd Oct. 29 at Culpepper Park. 

Many local dignitaries, including the mayor, city council members, state representatives, the public works department and recreation department employees involved with the new playground were on hand for the event.

“I’m very proud of the new addition to Culpepper Park,” Daleville Mayor Claudia Wigglesworth said. “The playground is a great opportunity for kids to get out, play and interact with each other. Our community center and recreation areas are the social hubs for this community.”

The new play structure, located adjacent to the old playground at Culpepper Park, is for children ages 5-12.

The new addition features a walkway, four slides, a multi-level climbing structure, monkey bars, a mini rock wall and two vertical spinners under a large canvas shade.

The structure also includes a four-seat swing set, two picnic tables and two benches.

The project was funded half and half by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs Land and Water Conservation Fund and the city of Daleville for a total of $100,000.

The playground area was constructed by the Daleville Public Works Department, Daleville Recreation Department and J.A. Dawson Construction Company, and was completed in three weeks.

The public works department and recreation department prepared the site last month and within days a tractor full of playground parts was delivered.

Four days later the frame of the playground was visible, and within eight days the playground was up and ready for finishing touches.

“The Daleville Public Works Department poured the walkway and picnic table concrete pads and the construction crew added touch up paint and fresh soft ground cover,” Marie Sanders, director of the recreation department, said. “Ten days later the playground was ready for children.”

Sanders said the new playground offers a number of benefits for Daleville residents to enjoy.

“Playgrounds provide the obvious physical activity that children need as well as being a social center for neighbors to build relationships that strengthen a community,” Sanders said. “When children learn to play together and neighbors get to know each other, crime drops, children stay in school and residents have a better outlook on their quality of life.”

While the ceremony took place several children already appeared to be having fun with the new equipment, including 10-year-old Elyse Scott.

“I’ve been here several times with my cousins,” Scott said. “I like that this (playground) is bigger. This one is better because it has more stuff and more room for everybody and this one is kind of for the bigger kids.”

Scott said she likes the slides and vertical spinners on the new playground, and plans to return to the park often.

“Me and my cousins come almost everyday after school,” she said. “We like it.”