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Box 21, Folder 35, Document 10
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He > a yf T mF c Y>+F ih /T j VT AY WTP sA IVAN ALLEN, JR., MAYOR
pe " ee y ~ R. EARL LANDERS, Administrative Assistant
- Pi MRS. ANN M. MOSES, Execulive Secretary
, - aS DAN E. SWEAT, JR, Director of Governmental Liaison
“NEWS RELEASE
CITY HALL ATLANTA, GA.30303
Tel. 522-4463 Area Code 404
Special News ReJease
Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr.
John Cox, Executive Director, Atlanta Youth Council
Jack Delius, General Manager, Atlanta Parks and
Recreation Department
For Immediate Release
May 17, 1967
Atlanta to Expand Playlot Program for 1967
(First of a Series of Announcements on Summer Recreation Programs)
The Neighborhood Playlot program, begun last summer by the City of Atlanta Parks
and Recreation Department will be more than doubled for summer 1967, This
announcement was made today by Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr., who stated:
"We are convinced that the Playlot program was our single most successful new
effort in providing meaningful recreation opportunity for our boys and girls last
summer, The Playlots were available to large numbers of children within easy
walking distance of their homes, and they offered varied types of recreation
opportunity for children of all ages under experienced personnel with outstanding
assistance and support from youth and adults from the neighborhoods themselves."
This announcement from Mayor Allen came as the first in a series of information
releases on programs to be operated by public and private agencies in the youth
recreation field, with the coordination of the Youth Opportunity Campaign for 1967,
The Playlot program, begun last June and financed substantially with funds from
the Office of Economic Opportunity, included nine sites at the close of last summer,
These were located in low-income neighborhoods, often on vacant lots which were
leased for token rental, cleared, equipped and staffed by the Parks and Recreation
Department and neighborhood volunteers,
An average of 750 children participated in the Playlot program each of 66 days
last summer, and that number is expected to reach at least 2,000 per day as the
program is expanded to more than 25 sites during the summer of 1967, Of some
26 sites that have already been selected, three have buildings which will insure
all-weather operation.
The City has been locating these lots during the last several months and is nearing
completion of the initial development of most of the Playlots. The amount and type
of equipment on each site will vary according to the size of the lot, but equipment
will include water fountains, portable toilets, climbing towers, swings, slides,
sand boxes, basketball goals and nets, and games and athletic equipment of many
types.
The Playlots will be open from 10 a.m, until dark, six days a week, from June Ist
through Labor Day, September 4th. With the advent of Daylight Savings Time,
recreation programs can be continuous until 9 or 9:30 p.m. during the summer
and children will be encouraged to return during the evening hours and bring their
parents to participate in games of interest to adults as well as children.
Most of the Playlots will be provided with sprinkler heads which transform a water
hydrant into a cool shower treat for hundreds of children, Playlots are already
developed or have been planned at the following locations:
Page Two
May 17, 1967
Rhodes Street between Sunset and Vine
Merritts and Bedford
Wylie and Tye
Connally Street near Richardson Street
Gilliam Park on Wade Avenue
373 Thurmond Street
Magnolia and Maple
McDaniel at Georgia Avenue
Haygood and Crew Street
255 Dodd Avenue (Indoor Facilities)
Windsor near Richardson Street
12, Park Avenue and Lansing, S. E,.
13. Arlington Circle, N. W.
14, 533 Central Avenue, S, W.
15. Ladd Street off Oakland, N. W.
16. 196 Savannah Street, S. E. (Indoor Facilities)
17, 141 Walnut Street, N. E. (Indoor Facilities)
18, Harper Park Site - Poole Creek Road, S. E.
19. Daniel Stanton Park Site (Martin-Boynton, S. E.)
20, Perry Boulevard and Lively
21, Huff Road near Booth, N. W.
22, Butler and Vernon Place, N. E.
23, University and Hubbard, 5. E.
24, Vernon and Fort, N. E.
25. Habershal at Perry Boulevard
26. Daniel between Edgewood and DeKalb Avenue
.
Oo on om & WD =
Se
- ©
- «8
The first four sites above will have portable swimming pools, made possible by a
$28, 500 donation from the Rich Foundation, The pools are steel supported,
filtered, properly drained and will include showers and other necessary equip-
ment, Supervised swimming and swimming instruction will be available seven
days a week, from 10 a.m, until 7 p.m. on weekdays and from 1 p.m, until 7 p.m.
on Sundays. Tentative plans are to relocate these pools in school basements
during the winter months, thus providing the schools with an opportunity for year-
round swimming instruction.
The cost of equipping and operating one Playlot for the summer is estimated at
$3,700. A portion of this cost will be funded by a grant assured from the Office
of Economic Opportunity, The City will bear the remaining cost. At the same
time, the City hopes to acquire additional Playlot sites before the end of the
summer and also introduce some innovations into the existing Playlot program,
It is hoped that contributions, loan of physical facilities and volunteered time from
private citizens, business firms, religious and civic organizations will enable the
City to enrich the recreation opportunities available to thousands of young
Atlantans. Interested parties are asked to contact the Youth Opportunity Campaign
at 522-4463, Extension 437,
As an important phase in the Youth Opportunity Campaign for 1967, a simple
directory of summer learning, recreation and camping opportunities for
youngsters, designed for each quadrant of the City, will be distributed through
the Atlanta schools, recreation centers, private agencies and neighborhood
centers prior to the close of school,
#it # #
pe " ee y ~ R. EARL LANDERS, Administrative Assistant
- Pi MRS. ANN M. MOSES, Execulive Secretary
, - aS DAN E. SWEAT, JR, Director of Governmental Liaison
“NEWS RELEASE
CITY HALL ATLANTA, GA.30303
Tel. 522-4463 Area Code 404
Special News ReJease
Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr.
John Cox, Executive Director, Atlanta Youth Council
Jack Delius, General Manager, Atlanta Parks and
Recreation Department
For Immediate Release
May 17, 1967
Atlanta to Expand Playlot Program for 1967
(First of a Series of Announcements on Summer Recreation Programs)
The Neighborhood Playlot program, begun last summer by the City of Atlanta Parks
and Recreation Department will be more than doubled for summer 1967, This
announcement was made today by Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr., who stated:
"We are convinced that the Playlot program was our single most successful new
effort in providing meaningful recreation opportunity for our boys and girls last
summer, The Playlots were available to large numbers of children within easy
walking distance of their homes, and they offered varied types of recreation
opportunity for children of all ages under experienced personnel with outstanding
assistance and support from youth and adults from the neighborhoods themselves."
This announcement from Mayor Allen came as the first in a series of information
releases on programs to be operated by public and private agencies in the youth
recreation field, with the coordination of the Youth Opportunity Campaign for 1967,
The Playlot program, begun last June and financed substantially with funds from
the Office of Economic Opportunity, included nine sites at the close of last summer,
These were located in low-income neighborhoods, often on vacant lots which were
leased for token rental, cleared, equipped and staffed by the Parks and Recreation
Department and neighborhood volunteers,
An average of 750 children participated in the Playlot program each of 66 days
last summer, and that number is expected to reach at least 2,000 per day as the
program is expanded to more than 25 sites during the summer of 1967, Of some
26 sites that have already been selected, three have buildings which will insure
all-weather operation.
The City has been locating these lots during the last several months and is nearing
completion of the initial development of most of the Playlots. The amount and type
of equipment on each site will vary according to the size of the lot, but equipment
will include water fountains, portable toilets, climbing towers, swings, slides,
sand boxes, basketball goals and nets, and games and athletic equipment of many
types.
The Playlots will be open from 10 a.m, until dark, six days a week, from June Ist
through Labor Day, September 4th. With the advent of Daylight Savings Time,
recreation programs can be continuous until 9 or 9:30 p.m. during the summer
and children will be encouraged to return during the evening hours and bring their
parents to participate in games of interest to adults as well as children.
Most of the Playlots will be provided with sprinkler heads which transform a water
hydrant into a cool shower treat for hundreds of children, Playlots are already
developed or have been planned at the following locations:
Page Two
May 17, 1967
Rhodes Street between Sunset and Vine
Merritts and Bedford
Wylie and Tye
Connally Street near Richardson Street
Gilliam Park on Wade Avenue
373 Thurmond Street
Magnolia and Maple
McDaniel at Georgia Avenue
Haygood and Crew Street
255 Dodd Avenue (Indoor Facilities)
Windsor near Richardson Street
12, Park Avenue and Lansing, S. E,.
13. Arlington Circle, N. W.
14, 533 Central Avenue, S, W.
15. Ladd Street off Oakland, N. W.
16. 196 Savannah Street, S. E. (Indoor Facilities)
17, 141 Walnut Street, N. E. (Indoor Facilities)
18, Harper Park Site - Poole Creek Road, S. E.
19. Daniel Stanton Park Site (Martin-Boynton, S. E.)
20, Perry Boulevard and Lively
21, Huff Road near Booth, N. W.
22, Butler and Vernon Place, N. E.
23, University and Hubbard, 5. E.
24, Vernon and Fort, N. E.
25. Habershal at Perry Boulevard
26. Daniel between Edgewood and DeKalb Avenue
.
Oo on om & WD =
Se
- ©
- «8
The first four sites above will have portable swimming pools, made possible by a
$28, 500 donation from the Rich Foundation, The pools are steel supported,
filtered, properly drained and will include showers and other necessary equip-
ment, Supervised swimming and swimming instruction will be available seven
days a week, from 10 a.m, until 7 p.m. on weekdays and from 1 p.m, until 7 p.m.
on Sundays. Tentative plans are to relocate these pools in school basements
during the winter months, thus providing the schools with an opportunity for year-
round swimming instruction.
The cost of equipping and operating one Playlot for the summer is estimated at
$3,700. A portion of this cost will be funded by a grant assured from the Office
of Economic Opportunity, The City will bear the remaining cost. At the same
time, the City hopes to acquire additional Playlot sites before the end of the
summer and also introduce some innovations into the existing Playlot program,
It is hoped that contributions, loan of physical facilities and volunteered time from
private citizens, business firms, religious and civic organizations will enable the
City to enrich the recreation opportunities available to thousands of young
Atlantans. Interested parties are asked to contact the Youth Opportunity Campaign
at 522-4463, Extension 437,
As an important phase in the Youth Opportunity Campaign for 1967, a simple
directory of summer learning, recreation and camping opportunities for
youngsters, designed for each quadrant of the City, will be distributed through
the Atlanta schools, recreation centers, private agencies and neighborhood
centers prior to the close of school,
#it # #
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