Lawton Park Open for Play
By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net
Kids swarmed the newly installed playground equipment at Hartsville’s Lawton Park at an informal opening ceremony held Wednesday, July 29. Featuring hills and boulders, slides and rock climbing walls, the playground also offers accessibility and activities for children with disabilities.
“This playground was designed with input from various members of the community, and a lot of city employees worked really hard on it,” says Mary Farrell, assistant to the Hartsville City Manager. “This was a priority because the equipment was old and outdated and it had become a safety risk.”
Funded by a $75,000 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund and matching funds from the City of Hartsville, the playground project base cost was $150,000, with various incidental expenses covered by the city.
Farrell says the naturalistic design of the park was intended to make it harmonize with Lawton Park’s waterfront location on Prestwood Lake.
