SUFFOLK, Va. — Suffolk Parks and Recreation has launched a playground passport program, giving families a new reason to get outside and explore all 17 of the city's parks.
The passport is free and available at any of Suffolk's 17 playgrounds. Each park has its own unique stamp, and the goal is to visit every location and fill the passport completely.
"You pick up the passport, and every park will have a little stamp, so you'll stamp it in here," marketing specialist Sylvia Mack said.
Once all 17 stamps are collected, families can bring the completed passport to the Parks and Recreation Administration Building to claim their reward.
"You'll come to the Parks and Rec Administration Building and pick up a special playground passport shirt," Mack said.
The program is about more than just collecting stamps. Parks and Recreation says it is designed to encourage families to discover parts of Suffolk they might not normally visit.
"This really encourages people to go out, check out new parks, and really get involved with their community," Mack said.
Two of the program's most popular destinations so far are Lake Meade Park and Bennett's Creek Park.
"We just got a new playground there, so it's very popular, has waterfront views and a dog park," Mack said.
Still, Parks and Recreation hopes the passport will push families beyond the most well-known spots.
"Because Suffolk's so spread out, so a lot of the parks aren't always visited. A lot of the parks are visited in the central areas, so the smaller neighborhoods you want to get people to, and this is kind of a way to do it," Mack said.
The passports can be located in front of the 17 parks, you can also pick up a passport at the Suffolk Parks and Recreation Building at 134 S. 6th St. in Suffolk.
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