On behalf of the Chandler Parks Board and the vast majority of the youth and adults who enjoy the many amenities at Winchester Park, I would like to thank both the Economic Development Board and the Chandler City Council for their approval and funding of two major improvements to the park recently.

A complete new, larger playground has been built following the notification that part of the old playground could not be replaced after it was damaged. The new playground includes a safer base and many more play stations as well as a separate area for two- to five-year-olds.

If the amount of children and parents utilizing the new playground is any indication of its approval, then it is already a success.

Also, purchase and installation of lighting for the only baseball field without lights has been completed. Thanks to this endeavor, the BMC Youth Foundation will be able to host more tournaments benefiting Chandler and its merchants, as well as better manage the more than 700 boys and girls that participated in youth baseball this spring in Chandler, a figure that nearly doubled from the previous year.

I would also like to thank BMC for their generous support in constructing two metal storage buildings at the baseball complex, and Kidd Jones, Citizens State Bank, Trinity Mother Frances, ETMC, Southside Bank, Overhead Door Systems, Smith Fab, Turner Electric, Chandler Brownsboro Chamber of Commerce and Citizens National Bank for their contributions for a much needed concession stand expansion.

Thanks to David Maronge with Advance Construction for doing an outstanding job on the expansion at a discounted price. Finally, a big thanks to Jim Moffeit, Chandler City Administrator, for his vision and guidance, without which none of this would have been possible.

Professional city planners feel a city's parks are one of the main focuses people look for when shopping for a new town to live in. If that is the case, then thanks to all of those mentioned above who either donated, approved or constructed over $200,000 of improvements.

Chandler is well prepared to showcase Winchester Park to any prospective new citizen and proves that it is a "city with a heart."

Rick Ford Chairman Chandler Parks Board