At a press announcement on Wednesday, Oct. 3, kids ran around a small sidewalk loop in the Knoxville Community Development Corporation’s Walter P. Taylor Homes.
Children’s versions of dance hits played as they ran, and when the music stopped, they scurried to find a plastic base to stand on, therefore earning a place into the next round.
Kids participate in "musical bases."
This game of “musical bases” organized by Knoxville Parks and Recreation staff is just one example of the fun that will be packed into a “mobile recreation unit” that will travel around Knoxville, bringing fun and fitness to youth and their families.
The new vehicle is funded through a prestigious, $120,000 Childhood Obesity Grant awarded by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the American Beverage Association.
Crystal Swann, Assistant Executive Director of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Steve Lodge, Director of Government Affairs and Outreach for the American Beverage Association, visited Knoxville to present the award locally to Mayor Madeline Rogero and to meet the staff and partners that will implement the program. The officials even joined in some of the play on Wednesday.
Knoxville Parks and Recreation staff will organize eight-week sessions in which the truck will visit a neighborhood to hopefully inspire healthier choices.
The truck is currently being ordered and will be wrapped with fun, inviting graphics to make it easy to spot as it rolls into neighborhoods next spring.
Be on the lookout in spring 2019 for announcements of the mobile recreation unit’s maiden trip!
Here's CTV's coverage of the entire ceremony:
Mobile Playground Grant Announcement from Community Television Knoxville on Vimeo.