Bull City at play

For the “peppy, purple-adorned people” of KaBOOM!—a national non-profit dedicated to saving play for America’s children—fun can be serious work.

For the third year in a row, KaBOOM! recognized Durham as a Playful City USA, meaning it shows an outstanding dedication to the general enjoyment of children.

“We are always looking for ways to improve the city’s parks and facilities,” wrote Rhonda Parker, director the Durham Parks and Recreation Department, in an email Thursday. “KaBOOM! is a great partner and it helps to engage the communities with their parks.”

Play City USA communities are eligible for Let’s Play grants, awarded by the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group. The group hopes to build or fix 2,000 playgrounds across America by the end of 2013, benefiting an estimated five million children.

KaBOOM! has an ongoing relationship with the DPR. In June 2010, KaBOOM! contributed to a $156,156 renovation of the Burch Avenue Playground.

In order to earn its status as a Playful City USA, DPR focused on increasing safety standards in Durham playgrounds by improving the safety-surfacing of playground equipment. The DPR replaced or replenished safety-surfacing at 17 of the 54 playgrounds Durham currently manages. A new playground at Old Chapel Hill Road Park is expected to open soon.

“We are always assessing playgrounds for safety and improvements,” Parker said. “We have made no decisions as of yet and are making several funding sources.”

In North Carolina, Albemarle, Creedmoor, Greenville, Hickory and Mount Holly were also granted the Playful City USA title.