Today, the Parks and Recreation Department held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Floyd Gwin Renovations Project. The 52 acre park, located at 1015 N County Rd West, is getting a big time face lift. The improvements, done in two phases, include new lighting, tennis courts, volleyball courts, basketball courts, a Three-field baseball complex, walking trails, improvements to existing playground and picnic pavilions. The project is expected to be completed in about a year.
Between school, scheduled activities, and extended use of screens (phones, tablets, tv’s), children are spending less and less time playing outdoors. This can have a negative effect on a child’s mood, health, and long term development. Community parks and playgrounds offer families a fun way to connect and get active.
Time outdoors helps support mental health. Physical activity allows children to release pent up energy instead of becoming fidgety, easily distracted, and/or unhappy. The endorphins and dopamine rush that accompanies physical exertion provide a mood boost and relieves stress.
A simple walk or time playing in the outdoors can do wonders for relieving anxiety, stress and depression. Countless studies have proven that nature has a positive effect on your mental health. What you see, hear and experience in nature can improve your mood in a moment.
There is a strong connection between time spent outdoors and reduced negative emotions. This includes symptoms of anxiety, depression, irritability, insomnia, tension headaches and indigestion. Being outside improves creative thinking, helps with grief and has a positive effect in the way you treat others. With as little as 15 minutes of sun exposure, our bodies can create all of the Vitamin D needed for the day, which is used to support our immune systems, regulate our sleep cycles and strengthen our bones.
It does not matter whether you are going for a bike ride, to the park or a simple walk around the block as long as you get yourself a little sunshine.