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Girl Scouts seek city help to install "Sandbox Share" toy boxes at three neighborhood parks
Summary
Members of Lincoln Honor Troop 28274 proposed a Bronze Award project called "Sandbox Share," asking the city to help navigate installation permits and monitoring for small, secured boxes of sand toys at Cripple Creek, Village Meadows and Edenton South parks. The troop offered to fund construction and routine toy replacement and asked Parks and Rec/
A Lincoln Girl Scout troop proposed a "Sandbox Share" project to place small, secured boxes of sand toys at three neighborhood parks and asked the City Council for help navigating city permitting and maintenance channels.
"Our goal for Sandbox Share is to help kids not have to bring toys or lug them around," said Emma, speaking for Honor Troop 28274. The troop, comprised of fifth‑grade members, said it will pay for the materials and build the crate‑like boxes and will check the boxes regularly to replace broken toys.
Troop members described the design and locations: a low, lidless box roughly 1 foot tall by 1 foot deep and 1.5 feet wide made of plastic wood decking to avoid splinters; placement proposals were by the playground stairs at Cripple Creek, by corner benches at Village Meadows, and between benches at Edenton South. "We chose locations where no one will trip over the boxes and they will be easily seen," said McKenna.
The scouts told council they plan to secure each box to the ground with garden stakes stapled to the box, attach a plaque explaining how the program works, and provide a small broom to keep sand off sidewalks. The troop also asked Parks and Recreation to monitor for vandalism and to remove broken toys as needed.
Parks and Recreation Director Maggie Stuckey Ross was invited by Councilwoman Washington to remain after the meeting to meet with the troop and discuss practical next steps.
The scouts asked only for guidance and support from city staff; they emphasized they will cover construction and initial installation costs. No formal council action was taken during the meeting; council members praised the proposal and asked Parks staff to follow up.
If the council or Parks and Rec advances the proposal, the troop said they will handle regular toy upkeep and work with grounds crews to retrieve toys that leave the crate area.
"This will help reduce screen time and get more children using our parks," the troop said in closing.
