Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department has received a highly competitive BlueCross Foundation’s Healthy Place grant. New playground equipment, valued at over a half million dollars, should be installed at H.V. Griffin Park in 2021.

City parks director Mike Alsup sent in the application earlier this year to BCBS Tennessee’s Foundation for the Healthy Places grant, which at 100 percent funding, requires no local matching tax dollars from the City of Shelbyville.

The same type of foundation grant is being distributed across the state in honor of the healthcare company’s 75th anniversary. Making its mission to serve Tennessee communities who reach out with healthy initiatives, the foundation is investing $750,000 in each space, bringing the statewide total to $7.5 million.

H.V. Griffin’s current “Celebration Station” playground in H.V. Griffin Park was a former Leadership Bedford project, with many citizens volunteering to help build it. Alsup said at a Shelbyville City Council meeting earlier this year that the wooden play area has served well; he thanked those serving then with Leadership Bedford, but advised the play area is now showing its age from years of play and weather.

Alsup added that the new wheelchair accessible play unit will accommodate all ages and physical abilities. While the current Celebration Station is wooden, Alsup said the new play area at H.V. Griffin Park will be mostly aluminum and plastic.

Shelbyville’s “Family Fun” design will include a large play area, fitness station with a walk around area for parents, a swing set and free-standing and climbing areas. This design was selected as the H.V. Griffin Park serves as such a community fitness area for all ages.

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation plans to create 10 such BlueCross Healthy Places across the state in 2021. The 10 project sites, which are reflective of the long-time health company’s blue logo, are spread across communities large and small in each of the state’s three grand divisions.

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

•Family Fun–a family space with playgrounds and adult fitness equipment

•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 recently awarded projects is scheduled 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 and four are already open in Memphis, Huntland, Kingsport and at Henry Horton State Park in Chapel Hill.

BlueCross Foundation moves on across the state next August, when it will accept applications for 2022 builds. For additional information about the BlueCross Healthy Place Program, see BlueCrossHealthyPlaces.com.