Every parent who has ever pushed a swing and smiled as it soars skyward with a carefree and joyful child will like this story – the playground swing is not just for children any more. At Palm Cay, a fast-growing nautical community on New Providence’s southeastern shore, they’ve taken the concept of family -oriented one step farther, building what is believed to be Nassau’s first parent and child playground.
“We’re a family-oriented community. That’s central to everything we do so we set out to create a playground where the whole family could play,” said Marketing and Sales Director Zachary ‘Zack’ Bonczek. “We were fortunate that we found a Bahamian company that was able to take that plan and make it happen.”
The company is called Creative Kids Craft. Founded in 1993, Creative Kids Craft has built playground equipment for more than 300 jobs, over 100 of those commercial installations. But this is the first mom-pop-teen-tween-and toddler playground they’ve ever created.
“The whole playground is customized and built of materials that will hold up to the salt air, including stainless steel bolts, because of its location near the sea,” explains Creative Kids Craft owner Cleveland Rolle. Equipment ranges from the teeniest kiddie zone for toddlers and babies off to parallel bars at several heights, the highest at eight feet. There’s a 6-seater swing set for just about anyone except toddlers and babies who have their own kiddie section that includes animals on springs – a whale, frog and pony. The whole playground is on a sand base for safety. For the serious at play, there’s exercise equipment including sit-ups benches.
The playground was the latest installation in the booming development that will eventually feature more than 300 single family residences, condos, townhomes and cottages. The secure community features a 194-slip marina, the island’s largest for mid-size boats, and the closest marina to Exuma. Palm Cay recently completed construction of two tennis courts, complementing its outdoor active lifestyle offerings of pools, boating and biking. Its three-storey clubhouse is undergoing a transformation that will turn it into the only restaurant in that coastal area of New Providence. And its Starfish Isle and Garden Villa townhomes offer a variety of options both oceanfront and water view. The development which is totally self-funded has met every announced deadline and is on target for a full build-out by 2017.
Diane Phillips and Associates
Caption: THE FAMILY THAT PLAYS TOGETHER – For those who take their play seriously, Palm Cay has created a family playground. Designer and manufacturer Cleveland Rolle (right) whose company has constructed and installed more than 100 commercial playgrounds says it’s the first of its kind in The Bahamas, a mom-pop-teen-‘tween and toddler play area. The family-oriented nautical community with a 194-slip marina, tennis courts, pools and soon to come, a full restaurant, is located on New Providence’s southeastern coast.
