I've been in contact with Leathers and Associates!!!

In March, Nicholas and I visited Kids Quest playground in Mesquite.  

It is a beautiful wooden fort-like playground just like the kind I would love to have in our town.

It was community built and many of the pieces of equipment have plaques showing community donors had purchased them.  I also found a plaque that said the playground was designed by Leathers and Associates.

I was able to get in touch with Leathers and Associates and started with complimenting the playground we saw.

Michael Cohen replied to me:

Hello Kim,
I'm glad you liked the Mesquite playground so much.
 This is one of several great playgrounds our company has designed for communities in the DFW area.
 If you didn't know, all these playgrounds were built from scratch by community volunteers, with our guidance.
 Nearby for example, are Balch Springs (built 1997) and Rowlett (1998). Newer is Imagination Station in Keller, 640 Johnson Road.
 Happy play!!

I was excited to hear back from him.  I also thought, "Oooh cool!  New playgrounds to visit!"

I replied to him and told him about my hopes for this kind of playground on the WCR tracts.  I suggested that he speak to my contacts at town hall.  I also happened to mentioned my crazy mission to visit every cool park in the DFW area!

Here's his response:

Hi Kim,

I'd better not tell you about the other 50 Leathers playgrounds within a day trip of you! But here's a map of the closest ones. 

 

I am intrigued that you have already spoken to your city council and parks board. If they back you, and have a suitable site, it could really happen. Our designs do not have to be built by community volunteers. We can work with a parks department and a local contractor just as well.

Is is safe to send you this link, I wonder, of a playground we did recently in Kansas? www.flickr.com/photos/36847838@N02/sets/72157618015135124/show  Among other things, this playground is highly accessible, with poured rubber surfacing. And it is all plastic lumber, with no wood to maintain.

We are currently speaking with folks in Coppell about re-building their Leathers playground, and I expect to be visiting there within a few weeks. Perhaps you and I can arrange to meet, along with other key people in Flower Mound? You mentioned the Parks & Rec Director, for example.

Sincerely,

Michael Cohen

Wow!  I'm so freaking excited!  Nicholas loves the Coppell park and is would be awesome to have Leathers working on a playground right here in our town!  Doing the happy dance!