Ground broken for new South Park playground

Monett installation of Mega Play equipment expands children’s opportunities for activity
 
A groundbreaking ceremony was held at Monett’s South Park on Feb. 13 for the new $106,770 Mega Play structure at the site of the former city swimming pool, south of the City Park Casino.
The ceremony was an unusual event for the city, which traditionally holds ribbon cuttings but not formal groundbreakings. The last groundbreaking ceremony in recent memory was for the Justice Center more than 20 years ago. City Administrator Mickey Ary made the occasion more special by having lettering that spelled “MONETT” and city symbols painted on the shovels used for the ceremonial scoop.
Mayor Randy Burke opened formal comments for the occasion by recalling activities he undertook as a youth at the park in general and the swimming pool site in particular. He called using park sales tax for the new three-story-high undertaking “the most visible way I can think of to use the money for the benefit of the citizens.”
Burke called the project a team effort. PlayPower, manufacturing the complex at its Miracle Recreation Equipment plant in Monett, offered the playground unit to the city at a discount. Ozark Mountain Installations also offered what Burke called “a good price” for preparing the site and assembling the equipment. The structure, thought to be big enough for 200 children to play at once, will augment the Kiwanis Club’s nearby Kiddie Playground, that can serve approximately a third of that number.
According to Larry Howard, the parks superintendent, the structure will be ready for play this spring.
In his comments, Parks Commissioner Ken Gaspar reviewed how the previous city council contemplated continuing the sales tax used to finance the new swimming pool. “We said, this community loves its parks and would continue their support, and that they did,” Gaspar said. He praised the public for backing the effort and for shopping locally, generating the income for such an effort.
Gaspar especially credited Amanda Lee, Nola and Kevin Sprenkle for approaching him, promoting the idea of building “a showpiece for both our community and a great industrial partner,” namely Miracle Recreation Equipment/PlayPower, in creating a new park attraction.
“Thank you to the citizens of Monett,” Gaspar added. “We hope you will be as proud of this new playground as we are.”
The ceremony concluded with an unusual feature in the release of doves, symbolizing a new freedom. The birds were provided by Peggy Painter, with I Dove The Ozarks. Painter, who uses homing pigeons who return on their own to the Painters’ rural Verona farm, admitted she invited herself to the event but city officials welcomed her participation.