Volunteers needed, save the dates to help out

By Jim Newell

Review Editor

The Village of Lake Orion Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee will be holding two build days to construct new playscapes in Children’s Park and Green’s Park and needs the community’s support with the projects.

The community build day for the Green’s Park playscape is April 23, and the community build day for the Children’s Park playscape is May 14, said village Councilmember Teresa Rutt, who is the council representative on the parks and recreation committee.

Volunteers can soon sign up through links on the village website, lakeorion.org, and the Downtown Development Authority website, downtownlakeorion.org.

Construction on those days should begin around 9 a.m. The village DPW will provide assistance and the village will provide some tools to volunteers; however, there may be more tools needed.

“We will be getting a list of the tools needed,” Rutt said, adding that the list of tools that volunteers could bring will be posted on the signup page.

The Lake Orion Downtown Development Authority contributed $78,210 toward the purchase and installation of the playscape in Children’s Park.

The village received a $50,000 Hometown Grant from T-Mobile to help with the purchase and installation of the playscape in Green’s Park. The grant helped the parks and recreation committee purchase a Tree Tops playscape for $49,520 from Penchura, LLC in Brighton. An engineer from Penchura will be on hand to make sure the playscape is installed to appropriate specifications.

Lake Orion was one of 25 small towns across the country to receive a T-Mobile Hometown Grant and the only one in Michigan.

Rutt began the grant process in June after hearing about the opportunity from DDA Executive Director Molly LaLone.