Press release from the Genesee County Economic Development Center:
Several projects designed to create play spaces for thousands of kids will receiving funding from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation's "Built to Play" initiative, in conjunction with the nonprofit organization KaBOOM!
One of the projects includes space along an existing art trail in Batavia that will feature interactive musical instruments, and a musical-themed mural. The project from the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council, or GO ART!, is called "Play Me a Tune Garden," and should be completed by the end of August.
“I know as a kid, my parents could send me outside and I could go play,” said Gregory Hallock, executive director of GO ART! “And now it takes a little extra work to do that because you have to be out there with your kids. So I'm excited they're making it possible for parents to go out with their kids and have fun with them at the same time.”
Hallock says GO ART! received $70,000 from the “Play Everywhere Challenge” for the project, which will be part of a larger cultural garden along East Main Street in Batavia.
“Eleven drums going out there, there's chimes, xylophones, there's 18 instruments in all that are going to be taking up this entire space," he said. "They're meant for little kids, all the way up to teenagers, and I'm pretty sure adults will be playing with them as well."
Hallock says the “Built to Play” initiative is about making play happen in everyday places.
