Langley City wants people out of the house and is investing big coin to do it.
The City is putting capital funds into upgrades at several of its parks, including joining an innovative project that puts skipping ropes, balls and other recreational gear in a lockbox in parks.
The City has installed Live 5-2-1-0 Playboxes at five parks to encourage residents to be more active.
The boxes filled with equipment are now located at Douglas Park, City Park, Linwood Park, Penzer Park and Brydon Park.
Live 5-2-1-0 is based on healthy living for children: five vegetables and fruits a day, no more than two hours of screen time each day, one hour of physical activity every day and zero sugary drinks.
The playboxes are a partnership with Fraser Health, Langley Early Years Centre, and SCOPE BC (Sustainable Childhood Obesity through Community Engagement). Playboxes are an initiative of B.C. Children’s Hospital, and the boxes were donated by KMS Tools.
For more information about Live 5-2-1-0, visit www.live5210.ca.
People who want to use the equipment sign up with the City’s recreation department. They contact the website or phone number on the outside of the playboxes to receive an access code to open the boxes.
Inside they will find skipping ropes, hula hoops, frisbees, basketballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, pickle balls, and table tennis from dawn to dusk every day of the week. Users are expected to return the items that they sign out.
Live 5-2-1-0 started in 2009 as a pilot in Prince George and Abbotsford. It has since expanded to Chilliwack, Delta, the Comox Valley, Hope, Kimberley, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, Surrey, Nanaimo, and the Tri-Cities.
The new playboxes are part of a modernization of amenities at local parks. Brydon Park had a zipline installed and recently ziplines for children and adults were unveiled at Linwood and Douglas Parks.
“Live 5-2-1-0 Playboxes is one of the many initiatives the Recreation, Culture and Community Services department is working on to accomplish the Quality of Life Key Result Area in our 2017-2021 Strategic Plan,” explained Karlo Tamondong, the City’s recreation supervisor.
The City just completed a $200,000 upgrade of the spray park at City Park. There’s also a $300,000 project to replace its playground equipment and renovations have been completed at the sand field. The City is also adding picnic benches at some parks.
The City expects to hold a celebratory event in late summer to mark all the upgrades at its parks.