Since 2019, the Petal Excel By 5 Coalition has been working on its most ambitious community development project to date: an Infant/Toddler playground that will benefit the youngest members of “The Friendly City”.
According to Valerie Wilson of the Petal Chamber of Commerce and member of the coalition’s economic development subcommittee, the proposed Infant/Toddler Playground is planned for Hinton Park. “The playground, which will be located close to the existing playground, will be the very first of its kind in the state of Mississippi, perhaps the entire country, and will cater to children ages 6 months to 3 years old,” said Wilson.
The committee has had several meetings with playground manufacturers and their design teams, in an effort to turn their ideas into reality and formulate a budget. The City of Petal is offering support for the project with the donation of space in the park and a commitment to maintain the facility. “The playground itself will be paid for with donations, grants and fundraisers,” according to Leahne Lightsey, coalition member and fundraising coordinator for the project.
“The Ducks Are Coming”
Bright yellow signs can be seen scattered throughout Petal in anticipation of the 2nd annual Great American Duck Derby, scheduled for September 19th, sponsored by Alfa Insurance, Steven Kelly Agency, Carter’s Jewelry of Petal and Realty Executives, Mark Graham Properties. Proceeds from the event will be used as seed money for grant applications to fund the new playground.
Numbered plastic ducks will be released from the East Hardy Street bridge at 9:00 a.m. on the morning of Saturday, September 19th. From there, the ducks will “race” towards the finish line about a quarter of a mile south, supervised by the Petal Fire Department. Ducks will enter a funnel and the first three ducks through will win cash prizes of $2,000, $1,000, and $500, respectively. The public is invited to gather on the sandbar near the finish line to cheer on their ducks.
Adoption papers are available at several Petal-area locations at a cost of $10 each, or from any coalition member. Adoption sites in Petal include: Alfa Insurance – Steven Kelly Agency, The Coleman Center, Petal School District Central Office, Flynt & Associates and Grand Central Outfitters. Duck adoptions can also be made online through the Petal Education Foundation’s donation page or by visiting www.PetalDuckDerby.com.
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