The Alexandria Childhood Obesity Action Network, Alexandria/Arlington Smart Beginnings, and ACTion Alexandria teamed up to launch the Project Play Spruce Up Grants Competition to help residents improve local playgrounds and ensure that every child in Alexandria has a quality place to play.

Alexandria residents nominated 17 local playgrounds on the ACTion Alexandria website to receive a Project Play Spruce Up Grant to pay for new small equipment, equipment repairs and upgrades, seating and shade trees and other innovative ideas to improve Alexandria playspaces. Two grants of $5,000 and two grants of $2,500 were awarded based upon the number of votes received on ACTion Alexandria, feasibility, and need and accessibility based upon recommendations from a recent city-wide playspace assessment report conducted by Design Concepts.

The grantees are:

• Sunset Park, 10 Russell Road — Amount: $5,000. Improvements: Expand play area at the northwest corner of park and install a minimum of one piece of play equipment appropriate for children ages 2-5 years.

• Brookvalley Park (Holmes Run Trail at N. Ripley Street) — Amount: $5,000. Improvements: Replace swings and install a minimum of one additional piece of play equipment appropriate children ages 2-5 years.

• Lyles Crouch Traditional Academy (530 South Saint Asaph Street) — Amount: $2,500. Improvements: Install fence or other barrier type along parking lot. (Note: Fence may require BAR approval or administrative approval). Provide plantings for along the fence that would be community maintained.

• Angel Park, 201 West Taylor Run Parkway — Amount: $2,500. Improvements: Install a minimum of two interactive panels appropriate for children ages 2-5 years.