ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, May 3, 1996 TAG: 9605030041
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-10 EDITION: METRO
WHO SAID Southwest Virginia doesn't have a theme park?
One has recently opened in Pembroke, and it's fast becoming a tourist attraction.
Oh, it's not as large, certainly, as Busch Gardens or Kings Dominion. Nor does it boast a commercial theme park's high-tech razzmatazz. It is simply a playground for children.
But what a playground: castle-like towers, drawbridges, tunnels, glide rides, slides, swings, benches - a wooden wonderland (not plastic; not pipe) called Treasure Island Playground. It's a neat facility.
(If you want to check it out, turn off U.S. 460 in Pembroke at the sign for Castle Rock Recreation Area. Go straight until the road ends, ignoring the left turn to the recreation area. Treasure Island is to the right, next to the ball field.)
The story behind Treasure Island is charming, too.
Giles County, like a lot of rural counties, has been short of children's playgrounds. The only other one in the county isn't in good shape. Using a concept that a growing number of recreation planners throughout the country have adopted, the county asked its children to tell architect John Dean what they wanted in a playground.
Dean, whose specialty is such facilities, designed it to the kids' specifications.
Then the community took over. The county put up $73,000. But much of the money for the playground was raised at events such as spaghetti raffles. A penny collection brought in $5,000.
And 300 volunteers did the construction - completing it in just five days. Since it recently opened, children have crowded to it, proclaiming it ``awesome.''
Uh-oh! What's this we hear? Not just children, but adults waiting in line to get in?
OK, you grown-ups, but no shoving. Mind your manners, and play nice.
LENGTH: Short : 43 linesby CNB