A West Side park got some new playground equipment as part of deal that's been over a year in the making -- and there's a Grateful Dead connection.
The new "Sunshine Daydream" playground was funded as part of a donation from AirBnB that was suggested around the time of last summer's Fare Thee Well concerts at Soldier Field.
According to dnainfo.com, the equiment is music themed, including playable drums, xylophones, and an upright bass (I'd like to see Phil wield one of those) built into the purple structure of the playground. An interactive fountain includes dancing bears and terrapins gushing water -- critical for children playing on the park's 90 degree plus opening day.
A report from ABC7, has video of the equipment in action.
The concerts were "celebrating the legacy of a band that for 50 years had built this incredible community, where people really felt like they belong," according to a spokesmen for AirBnB. "So we wanted to build something in a neighborhood that kids and families can meet, where they can feel like they belong."
Might the source of the funds and the inspiration for these installations be lost on these kids, or even their parents? Sure, but who cares? Looks like families are enjoying it regardless.
