Murfreesboro Parks & Recreation Department will receive $750,000 from the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation, which plans to create 10 new BlueCross Healthy Places across the state in 2021.
In celebration of the company’s 75th anniversary, the foundation is investing $750,000 in each space, bringing the statewide total to $7.5 million. The 10 project sites are spread across communities large and small in each of the state’s three Grand Divisions.
Murfreesboro will use the grant to create a "Family Fun" area in Barfield Crescent Park. The "Family Fun" space will include playgrounds and adult fitness equipment. Construction is scheduled for next year.
The plans include 2-5 and 5-12 play systems with poured-in-place surfacing; swing area with zero-G swings, expression swing and traditional belt seats; fitness station with five unique activities; 50 feet of sidewalk to access play and fitness amenities; and benches and a bike rack
The 2021 BlueCross Healthy Place sites and project packages include were awarded to Alamo, Baxter, Chattanooga, Farragut, Johnson City, Memphis, Murfreesboro, Paris, Shelbyville and Woodlawn.
BlueCross Healthy Places strengthen communities across Tennessee by providing neighbors with spaces for connection and healthy activity. Grant applicants were invited to choose from six project packages based on the needs of their communities:
• Thrive and Play – an inclusive, multi-generational space
• Community Hub – a pavilion surrounded by fitness and play elements
• Elite Fitness – a community fitness space with competitive elements like a timed 40-yard dash
• Tri-Star Activity – a space combining a community pavilion and picnic tables with play pods and fitness stations
• Fitness and Fun – a space featuring play areas and fitness elements, including a fitness station and timed challenge course
"Our mission at BlueCross is serving our neighbors, and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our 75th anniversary than by giving Tennesseans more spaces to connect with one another and pursue healthy activities together," said Roy Vaughn, executive director of the BlueCross Foundation. "We look forward to partnering with each of these communities to enhance and revitalize these spaces, providing new amenities for all residents to enjoy."
Construction on the projects is scheduled to begin next year and will be completed by the foundation’s build partner, Chattanooga-based PlayCore. BlueCross Healthy Places are currently underway in Chattanooga, Nashville and Knoxville. Four are open in Memphis, Huntland, Kingsport and at Henry Horton State Park in Chapel Hill, Tenn. With the addition of the 10 new projects for 2021, the BlueCross Foundation has invested $31.7 million in community spaces across the state.
The BlueCross Foundation will accept proposals for 2022 funding during the month of August 2021.
