MIAMI (June 21, 2016) — Today,
Carnival Cruise Line,
along with community dignitaries and local families, celebrated the
opening
of Splash Island at Atlanta’s historic Adams Park. The interactive red,
white and blue-colored splash pad, funded in part by Carnival and
inspired by Carnival WaterWorks, the cruise line’s onboard water
experience, is the latest addition to the park's pool
area. The day’s festivities included a ceremonial ribbon cutting and
plaque unveiling presided over by the City of Atlanta in partnership
with Carnival executives, former Hawks player and nine-time NBA All-Star
Dominique Wilkins, Department of Parks and Recreation
Commissioner Amy Phuong and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed.
“We
are honored to have the opportunity to 'give fun back' to this great
community and its families through
the creation of ‘Splash Island,’ which will provide terrific outdoor
fun and activity for area youth,” said Christine Duffy, president of
Carnival Cruise Line. “Every year, we have the pleasure of welcoming
thousands of Atlantans on board our fleet of cruise
ships, so we want to bring a bit of our ships to the city, just in time
for summer."
Following
the opening ceremonies, families and their children wasted no time
testing the latest, wettest place
in town. New lounge chairs, tables and landscaping lining the pool area
round out this Atlanta oasis. Park attendees will also be able to enjoy
a customized art mural by Miami-based artist Nicole Salgar, which also
made its debut today.
Carnival
Cruise Line partnered with the City of Atlanta to complete Splash
Island as part of a larger restoration
project. Park Pride also contributed to the transformation of the Adams
Park pool. With children out of school and summer officially underway,
the fresh new space is expected to become a go-to spot for area
residents.
“Carnival’s
assistance with transforming the wading pool area into a more
interactive, fun and safe splash pad
for children and families to enjoy together will most definitely give
fun back to the neighborhood,” said Mayor Reed. “We could not be more
excited to share this beautiful new space with the community and put it
to good use for many years to come.”
“As
an Atlantan, I know that shared community areas like these make big
impacts for
local families and kids -- and I’m thrilled to lend my support to this
wonderful project,” said Wilkins, who attended with his family.
About the City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation
The
City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation is committed to
building strong communities and a vibrant economy by providing
safe and exceptional parks, facilities, and programs. The Department of
Parks and Recreation operates and maintains more than 400 parks and
greenspaces. The city’s recreational and cultural facilities vary from
small recreation centers to large cultural and
unique amenities such as natatoriums, spray grounds and emerging sports
courts. In January 2011 and in 2013, the department built upon earlier
pilot projects to transform ten facilities into Centers of Hope. The
city now operates 33 recreation centers, with
15 being Centers of Hope.
About Park Pride
Founded
in 1989, Park Pride is the Atlanta-based nonprofit that engages
communities to activate the power of parks. Working with
90 local Friends of the Park groups, Park Pride provides leadership and
services to help communities realize their dreams for neighborhood
parks that support healthy people, strong neighborhoods, vibrant
business districts, a robust economy and a healthy environment.
Park Pride is active in greenspace advocacy and educating both civic
leaders and the general public about the benefits of parks, and annually
hosts the Parks and Greenspace Conference. Learn more about Park Pride
at
www.parkpride.org.Tags: Carnival Cruise Line
