Phase I: Demolition/Installation
At the corner of 14th and Davidson street in the small town of Fairfax, SC sits a park that was once the hang out spot within its community. A spot adjacent to the old Fairfax Elementary school, that was once filled with pick up games, tournaments, cookouts and spectators (circa 1980s/90s) would become an abandoned space with nothing more than memories of what it used to be and a horse to remind the community of its better days. As it stands, there are currently no playgrounds or parks in the area for its youth to enjoy and engage one another in much needed outdoor play and experiences. If one seeks to engage with their peers, they have to travel an hour or so to find it enjoyment.
In the summer of 2018, Andrae Walker (CEO of Alternative World Inc.), approached the living heirs to see if they would be willing to donate the park to our nonprofit organization. Having no ready-made plans themselves for the space, they saw the wisdom in donating the property to someone that was passionate about its revitalization. As of 2019, Alternative World's Vanguard team was able to acquire funds from the local Parks and Recreation Dept. of Allendale County to go towards playground equipment. We were also able to secure a grant from Kaboom! and partners through their Let's Play Community Construction program which allowed us to complete 50% of Phase I.
While the park itself calls for revitalization and a complete makeover of the space, the vision of this project far outweighs the typical gathering for community events; we envision a functional park wherein frequent organized activities, programs and events will be designed to facilitate the education and implementation of sociocultural and physical development within the community. The goals of these programs are to create an intrinsic motivation amongst the people of the community, to include its youth. Not only will this space include engagement for diverse groups of local residents, their families, neighbors and out-of-town visitors to enjoy themselves, the overarching goal is to facilitate a space that transforms the culture and mindset of the community through effective relations and partnerships.
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