Avondale is being honored with a 2017 Playful City USA designation for the 4th time. Playful City USA honors cities and towns across the country for putting the needs of families first so kids can learn, grow and develop important life skills. These communities are transforming ordinary places into playful spaces and using play as a solution to the challenges facing their residents.
Communities across the country are creating innovative ways to bring back play and attract residents through family friendly activities.
“Avondale is a family-friendly community – we strive to bring amenities to all ages throughout the city, including our youngest residents. We understand the importance of providing opportunities for play that help kids grow, learn, and stay active.” stated Mayor Kenn Weise.
With approximately 200 acres of parks that are constantly being upgraded and a growing list of programs and activities offered for little ones such as youth sports leagues, dance classes, and martial arts, as well as family oriented events offered annually such as KidFest, Tres Rios Festival, and Tale of Two Cities, Avondale is a highly playful community.
“We are thrilled to recognize City of Avondale for putting kids first,” said KaBOOM! CEO James Siegal. “The well-being of our communities starts with the well-being of our kids, and play is critical for them to thrive. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that all kids get the childhood they deserve filled with play.”
In addition to the Playful City, USA designation, an affirmation of the community efforts to put kids first, Avondale has also been recognized as the first Kids at Hope city and have been nationally accredited as a Gold Medal community in the previous White House administration Let’s Move! initiative.
The 2017 Playful City USA recognition includes 258 communities from Richmond, Va., to Richmond, Calif., that make it as easy as possible for kids to play. In total, these communities feature more than 14,000 safe and engaging play spaces that serve more than 4 million kids. To learn more about these cities, see the full list of the communities named 2017 Playful City USA honorees, or to gather more information on the Playful City USA program, visit www.playfulcityusa.org .
