A PICK-UP BASKETBALL game draws a crowd, but you can’t stay long because there’s nowhere to sit. The doctor said you’ve got to lose weight or you’re on a fast track to diabetes. You can’t afford a gym membership or home exercise equipment. You’re in desperate need of adult conversation and fresh air, but what will you do with your children?
If any of this sounds familiar and you live in Huntland, you’re in luck! There’s a huge asset in this little town of just over 800 peo- ple, the BlueCross Healthy Place at Huntland City Park. The updated park is a reality, thanks to the dedication of Huntland’s Vice Mayor Ann Gardner and her committee members.
Members of a small town know one another. It’s a smallness that makes a con- nection and creates sensitivity to neighbors’ needs. What better place to gather and stay connected than a spacious park accessible to everyone?
With a desire to update the park for the present and the future, the city start- ed the ball rolling. A park committee was formed, led by Vice Mayor Gardner, and in 2017 they began their quest for a bet- ter park. They worked for over two years to raise money to upgrade the playground equipment. The committee applied for many grants, all written at Gardner’s kitchen table. The last grant they applied for was from the BlueCross BlueSh- ield Tennessee Health Foundation. Their heartfelt request was among 80 grant applications competing for funding, but something unique about Huntland con- nected with the foundation.
The foundation’s goal for these spaces is more than helping people get healthy. It’s about connection.
In an online news story announcing the construction program, Scott Wilson of the foundation said, “BlueCross Healthy Places demonstrate our commitment to give back to the people and communities we serve by providing neighbors with spaces for con- nection and healthy activity. At each Blue- Cross Healthy Place, new relationships will form, strengthening the bonds that form the backbone of our communities. This will be a place for the whole town, not just a playground for children.”
The foundation’s commitment is for now and the future. Huntland’s grant ap- plication requested $215,000 to update the park’s equipment. The foundation answered with $936,000, 20% of which is held back by the foundation for future updates, re- pairs, and replacements.
At the reception announcing the grant award, Wilson said, “We saw how import- ant history is to this town, that it’s something with you in the present. BlueCross Healthy Places is going to be a part of its history going forward.”
Wilson went on to reveal renderings of the new park including the basketball court with bleachers. “Ahhhhhhhhhh”, the audience responded. Then the playground accessible to all children was revealed. “Ohhhhhhh”, sighed the audience, and the reaction was the same to each design that followed. The foundation’s plans were more than anyone had dreamed for the property because the cost was so great.
Vice Mayor Gardner said, “This is go- ing to mean so much to our community – now and in the future. We hope it will help our town grow and prosper.”
The construction and installation of the park were quicker than the search for its funding. The announcement of the grant in April 2019 rolled quickly to the park’s grand opening the following September.
A large tree towers over the play- ground, offering its shade and watchful eye to giggling children enjoying the free- dom of a place of their own. It’s a place where no child watches from the sidelines, longing to be a part. Slides, swings, and see-saws are both safe and suitable. Signs indicate the age levels for each area or piece of equipment. Special swings for little ones and their parents or caregivers allow both to swing together, one facing the other, enhancing the experience and deepening connections.
Workout equipment is located next to the playground. What an awesome tool for multi-tasking. Mom can watch her chil- dren play and grab cardio exercise at the same time. Walking trails around the park offer a nice way to wind down from a work- out or a workday.
The guardian tree looks over basket- ball games on the new courts and lends its breeze to the players. Friends and family watch comfortably from nearby bleachers, benches, and picnic tables. A pavilion by the court is perfect for reunions and get-to- gethers, creating space for strengthening relationships and making memories.
Huntland, a city with a heart for its his- tory and residents, now has a park reflect- ing its commitment to connection. -GN
