Shade Covers, Trees, Picnic Tables & BBQ Grills!
Apr 09, 2025 11:52AM ● By Alana Burns
London Drug owner and pharmacist Nate Holbrook standing proudly with his team as they donate to the shade covers project
The Friends of the Soda Springs City Park are proud to announce that the completion of their project to bring shade covers, trees, picnic tables and BBQ grills to the MAVERIK Caribou CommUNITY Playground will conclude next month, May 2025, once install is completed for all of the aforementioned improvements.
Locations have been marked on the grass surrounding the playground to indicate where in-ground BBQ grills, in-ground mounted picnic tables, and trees will be installed in the coming weeks. Four of the six new commercial grade picnic tables are now in front of the playground and have been used to host cool, breezy picnics there already this Spring.
Recently kids have become aware of the shade covers that have been welded on to the existing swing set in the “tot lot” portion of the playground. As a result some teenaged children have been seen climbing up the baby swings and lifting themselves up on top of the swing sets and have been touching the metal shade structures. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM DOING THIS! Not only is this dangerous but it can eventually damage the equipment that has been fundraised for
this project.
Adults and parents, please make sure to teach youth and children that as a community we are all advocates for the preservation and safety of the people visiting here and the equipment we are privileged to enjoy. You can even “deputize” them as members of the unofficial “playground safety and protection committee” to get their buy in, like the Friends did when they witnessed children climbing the swing sets this past week! Ha!
Also, HUGE “thanks” are in order for these most recent sponsors for their generous contributions to this mission to provide shaded playtime for area children this year, and for many years to come. The community has rallied around this project and the The Friends are pleased to share the support they have gathered recently from London Drug in Grace ($500), ITAFOS ($2,500) and the Caribou County Commissioners ($3,000).
If you have been planning to donate and would like to ensure that your name or business’ name is included on the official sponsorship placard please donate as soon as possible. Planning is still ongoing for the re-dedication and ribbon cutting for the playground sometime in May. Stay tuned for more information to come in the next few weeks.
This year’s playground maintenance day is scheduled for May 1st at 6 PM. Please come and help clean up the playground and enjoy a sponsored burger dinner afterwards provided by the Soda Springs Lion’s Club.
