Chesapeake donates $10 Gs to playground project

Now's apparently a good time to be announcing a playground project if you're anywhere in shooting distance of the Barnett Shale.

Chesapeake Energy announced Wednesday it's donating $10,000 to the Friends of Tillery Park, the non-profit that's building a new $175,000 playground at Tillery Park, just off Forest Park Boulevard in South Fort Worth's Berkeley Place neighborhood.

Friday morning at the park, Chesapeake handed over a mock check to the organizers, with the real thing due to arrive shortly. The $10k put the organizers over their $175,000 fundraising goal for the playground; the surplus goes to future planned phases that include new fencing, landscaping, disabled-access sidewalk, and a pavilion. Volunteers spent five days last week (photo above) bringing the playground off the ground, and will complete the project Friday and Saturday.

Chesapeake made its announcement the same day it was sending fresh lease offers to property owners in Berkeley, Mistletoe Heights, and Ryan Place. It's competing for the South Side leases against XTO Energy and its agent, Fort Worth Energy, which earlier donated $25,000 apiece to the Tillery Park project. (Ryan Place also confirmed Thursday that XTO and Fort Worth Energy have agreed to donate up to $50,000 to the Ryan Place association, based on the numbers of property owners who sign their leases. Click here for the story.)

Jennifer Tayag, president of the Friends of Tillery Park, said the neighborhood buzz about the energy companies' contributions has been favorable. "They feel these companies are being good stewards by giving back to the communities where they make their living," she said.

The Friends of Tillery Park are still looking for volunteers to finish their build. Click here to volunteer.

And click here to read our previous posts on the Tillery Park project.

-- Scott

Comments

[sirius_girl]

The real headline should read "CITY FOR SALE"