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City of Kissimmee Recognized as 2016 Playful City USA Community

By Carrie Courtney and Company

Real Estate Agent with Changing Latitudes Real Estate SL3164250

May 22, 2016 01:56 PM

The City of Kissimmee is being honored with a 2016 Playful City USA designation for the 6th time. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the national recognition program honors cities and towns across the country for making their cities more playable.

The City of Kissimmee is home to more than 20 parks and recreation areas, including the award-winning Kissimmee Lakefront Park on Lake Toho. Kissimmee’s progressive park system includes a civic center, multiple community centers, a water park, skate park, numerous athletic fields and courts and the Shingle Creek Regional Park that offers historical structures for viewing, hiking/biking trails, fishing and an active blue way for kayaks and canoes.

The City also manages 15 playgrounds including the first public access boundless playground in Osceola County. Mill Run Park is now an inclusive playground that was built using the Community Build model in partnership with Florida Hospital and Kissimmee Utility Authority, along with more than 100 community volunteers. The City also partnered recently with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons to build a new playground at Central Avenue Elementary School. This park marks the City’s fifth community build.

The City of Kissimmee is committed to transforming the community to become more playful by developing unique local action plans to increase the quality of play for residents and guests.

Communities across the country are creating innovative ways to bring back play and attract residents through family friendly activities. Interactive sidewalk art, designated play spaces on trails and the transformation of schoolyards into active play areas are just a few examples of how cities are becoming more playful.

“We are thrilled to recognize these communities that have invested their time and efforts to put kids first,” said KaBOOM! CEO James Siegal. “Balanced and active play is crucial to the well-being of kids and the communities that they thrive in. By integrating play into cities, the leaders of Playful Cities USA are working to attract and retain the thousands of families that want homes in close proximity to safe places to play.”

City of Kissimmee Website