The Decatur Park District's Recreation Department has taken pride in itself for years on having playgrounds within easy walking distance of all children. Twenty-eight well spaced playgrounds, sixteen (16) of them floodlighted for night activities, seemed like very good coverage for a population of a little less than 100,000. However, five years ago it was realized that there were a number of isolated areas, some in the inner-city and some in fringe areas where young children had to travel too far to visit a playground. These areas had no playgrounds, sometimes because land was not available or because the areas were too sparsely populated to justify full time leadership.

It was realized that some citizens were being "shortchanged", and in order to correct the situation the first Traveling Playground program was started in the summer of 1966. Four sites were selected and a woman leader employed. The leader filled the trunk of her car (and often the back seat) with bats, balls, craft supplies, games of various kinds, a card table and chair. The leader was given a car allowance in addition to salary. Three of the sites were visited twice each week and one three times. Monday mornings were not scheduled because that period was reserved for the weekly staff meeting for all leaders.

Another Traveling Playground program was added with four new sites the second summer, still using the leader's car. The third year a bright red compact was purchased and on the side was "Traveling Playground #1". It was equipped with doors on the right side as well as the rear.

However, no windows were on either side since the sides were needed for the signs and also because shelves were built in on the left side. A small box was even built in beside the driver's seat where the leader could leave her purse or lunch. The doors on the right side makes for easy loading and unloading and when the doors are open the van can be used as a small stage. A durable folding table was purchased and used as part of the equipment carried in the van.

Use of the van proved so successful that a second one was purchased the following year and for the summer of 1970 a third one was added along with four more areas.

The Traveling Playground idea is not a new concept but Decatur is probably the only city using vans for this purpose.

Some advantages of using compact vans are that they can be used the rest of the year in the general maintenance of facilities. The vans are used for hauling supplies for the carpenter shop and garage, as well as providing a means of transportation for men making minor repairs such as replacing broken windows. The fact that the vans are small also means that they can be driven and parked in areas that large vehicles could not get in or out of easily. However, the vans being used for dual purposes, requires more discretion as to what they are used for. For example, you don't haul goats from the St. Louis Zoo to the Decatur Children's Farm.

In evaluating the Decatur Traveling Playgrounds these conclusions can be drawn: More areas can have programs that otherwise would not be served; locations can be altered with changing conditions in the neighborhood with little effort; new locations can be established with a minimum of expense; and the vans are used the year-round and are not sitting idle much of the year.

The Decatur Park District believes this is a good way to get the maximum use out of a minimum investment.

Russell J. Foval is Director of Recreation. for the Decatur Park District

Illinois Parks and Recreation 16 March/April, 1971