3.03.2008 - 08:37am ET

(CSRwire) WOONSOCKET, R.I., March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Caremark announces today the grand reopening of Fantasy Landing playground at Kiest Park, bringing Texas its second Boundless(TM) playground that provides access for children of all abilities to play together. Construction of the playground is funded in part by a $250,000 grant from the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust, along with $80,000 dollars raised by local CVS/pharmacy associates that enabled a sun shade to be installed at the play structure. This is one of three signature Boundless(TM) playground projects to be announced this year, all supported by the CVS Caremark All Kids Can Program, which is dedicated to serving the needs of children with disabilities. The first Boundless(TM) playground in Texas opened in 2002.

The unveiling of the new playground, located in the northwest corridor of Kiest Park, is Saturday, March 1, at 10 a.m., 3012 South Hampton Rd, Dallas. The event will include a health fair, refreshments, face painting and other fun activities for children.

This new playground replaces a former all-access play structure, originally dedicated in 1989, that was in need of significant repair. Fantasy Landing is open daily from 6 a.m. to midnight. Kiest Park, which welcomes approximately 250,000 visitors a year, serves the 400,000 citizens living in the Oak Cliff region in Dallas. The park includes tennis courts, softball fields, recreational centers, and much more.

"We are happy to assist the Oak Cliff community in helping to rebuild their all-access playground that will always be a special part of Kiest Park's history," said Denny Tewell, Area Vice President for CVS/pharmacy. "This grant truly demonstrates our company's dedication to making a real, positive impact so that all children have the opportunity to learn, play and succeed in life."

"Kiest Park is one of our busiest parks in Dallas, which is why it was so crucial to the city to make sure it could be enjoyed by all our residents regardless of age or ability," said David Strueber, Dallas Park and Recreation Assistant Director. "Fantasy Landing is more than we envisioned when we embarked on this re-design. Thanks to the generous donation from CVS Caremark All Kids Can, we were able to really address our need for an inclusive play area that is inviting to everyone in the community."

Boundless(TM) playgrounds are built to provide a fun and challenging play environment for children of all abilities. Unique features of the new Fantasy Landing playground include accessible pathways and separate play areas for different age groups, allowing for a safer environment with more adult supervision. The playground also includes tot seats for the smaller user, belt seats for the school age children and therapy seats that have the necessary support for children with low muscle tone. Several movement, climbing, and sliding activities have also been integrated into the play environment. Each activity is sensory-rich and developmentally appropriate to keep children engaged and playing to their highest ability level.

"At Boundless Playgrounds(R) we recognize how important play is to every child's development and health, and therefore, our inclusive playgrounds allow all children to be in the middle of fun," said Amy Jaffe Barzach, Founder and Chief Inspiration Officer of Boundless Playgrounds. "With the help of CVS Caremark All Kids Can, we are thrilled that we were able to work with the city of Dallas to create another inclusive playground that allows children of all abilities to play, learn and develop, side by side."

CVS Caremark All Kids Can

All Kids Can, a program of the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust and CVS Caremark, is a five-year, $25 million commitment to support children with disabilities. The goals of All Kids Can are to support children with disabilities by raising awareness in schools and in local communities about the importance of inclusion, creating greater opportunities for physical activity and play, and providing access to medical rehabilitation and related services. CVS Caremark and its more than 190,000 employees plan to help children with disabilities learn, play and succeed through partnerships with leading local and national nonprofit organizations such as Easter Seals and many others across the country. For more information, visit http://www.cvsallkidscan.com.

About Boundless Playgrounds

Boundless Playgrounds is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides leadership to help communities create extraordinary playgrounds where children, with and without disabilities, can develop essential skills for life as they learn together through play. More than 100 Boundless(TM) playgrounds are now open in over 20 states, the District of Columbia and Canada and dozens more are currently under development. Boundless Playgrounds, based in Connecticut, was founded in 1997 by a passionate team of parents and professionals. For more information, visit http://www.boundlessplaygrounds.org.

For more information please contact: