On February 1st, 2022, Midre Cummings Park & Playground in Frederiksted officially opened to the public. The soft opening welcomed members of the St. Croix community to experience the renovated outdoor space. Named for former Major League Baseball player Midre Cummings, this native son played for several major league baseball teams during the 1990s, ultimately winning the 2001 World Series with the Arizona Diamondbacks as an outfielder and pinch hitter against the New York Yankees.
Children First St. Croix is the organization that spearheaded the project. Created under the non-profit organization, St. Croix Educational Initiative, the committee members consist of community leaders who were dedicated to designing, fundraising and building a state of- the-art community playground. The park was built by Play by Design, a New York based manufacturer of community playground equipment. They regularly partner with community volunteers across the United States to produce custom-designed play structures for toddlers, preschool and school-aged children.
A huge undertaking, the park was 100% funded by donations and built 100% by volunteers from local organizations, businesses and private citizens, including a few Coldwell Banker St. Croix Realty agents. Even the park’s namesake, Midre Cummings himself, volunteered his time to get the park ready for inspection without anyone initially knowing he was present. Midre Cummings Park & Playground is open daily from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm. The official grand opening is scheduled to take place in late February; official date and time to be announced. For up-to-date information about the project, please visit the Children First Project Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ChildrenFirstStCroix.
Article written by Anquanette Gaspard (agaspard@cruzanfoodie.com) for Coldwell Banker, St. Croix Realty
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