Foley Kids Park re-opened Saturday

GCM Staff Report
Posted 5/31/23

FOLEY — Children in Foley now have a new place for recreation after the city-renamed Kids Park reopened Saturday following $1.2-million in renovations. The park is on West Verbena Avenue near …

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Foley Kids Park re-opened Saturday

Posted

FOLEY — Children in Foley now have a new place for recreation after the city-renamed Kids Park reopened Saturday following $1.2-million in renovations.
The park is on West Verbena Avenue near the Max Griffin Pool.

The old park closed in February so workers could demolish most of the original structure. The wooden park was built in 2001 and was expected to last about 15 years in the Gulf Coast climate.

David Thompson, executive director of leisure services, said that while the old park was replaced, parts of the facility have been put to other uses. The sign from the original park will be restored and put in place at the new facility.

The new park will also have a new name. Foley City Council voted May 1 to name the park for Sara Thompson, a second-grade teacher who worked to get the original park built.

Sara Thompson taught at Foley Elementary School for 20 years before retiring. She died in 2022.

City officials also plan additional work at the site. City council voted May 15 to build a new fence around the park. The city also plans to rebuild the pavilion that was torn down during construction of the new park.

While the new park cost about $1.2 million, the city received about $500,000 in grants to pay for some of the expenses.