For the eighth consecutive year, the City of Doral has been recognized as a 2017 “Playful City USA” by the national non-profit KaBOOM! – an organization that advocates balanced and active play for children as an essential component in enabling them to thrive.
The program helps local governments address the play deficit and it is through mayors, city council members, parks and recreation departments, school districts and community leaders that the program succeeds in benefitting children.
Doral is a role model for park programs in other communities and it has successfully proven that it is indeed a “Great Place to Play.”
“From the city’s incorporation in 2003, the vision has been to develop world-class parks that all our residents can enjoy,” stated Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez.
“And now, 14 years later, we continue to focus on being a great place to play, by growing our parks system with new projects like MAU Park, Doral Glades Park and the aquatic facility at Doral Central Park,” he said.
Doral is looking forward to its annual “Play Day” event, scheduled for early 2018 at Doral Meadow Park, where the community will celebrate this achievement with outdoor games, arts and crafts, face painters and live performances. Playful City USA honors cities and towns across the country for putting the needs of families first so children can learn, grow, and develop important life skills.
The KABOOM! organization praised Doral for transforming ordinary places into award-winning, playful spaces and using play as a solution to the challenges facing their residents.
“We are thrilled to recognize Doral 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.”
