LAKEWOOD, Ohio — Madison Park in Lakewood has a new sports locker room.
Inspired by the numerous Little Free Libraries scattered throughout the city, the “Madison Park Little Free Locker Room” is intended to offer any park visitor the opportunity to borrow or contribute sporting goods equipment while enjoying recreation within Madison Park.
The locker room was created by the local neighborhood group and non-profit, Friends of Madison Park, with the help of volunteers, donations, and a Lakewood Foundation grant.
“The idea here is to make it so any child or even any adult who has accessibility for easy play in the park and all the exercise and good things that come with playing outside,” said Bixenstine. “The hope is that people will return their sporting goods equipment and so someone else can use it.”
The locker room currently includes sports balls (soccer, basketball, volleyball, and football), frisbees, Wiffle ball supplies, bubble wands, sidewalk chalk, and more. According to a press release, an air pump for balls and bikes is also available onsite. The sporting goods are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
“The hope is that people will return their sporting goods equipment and so someone else can use it,” Bixenstine said. “We are going encourage community members to also if you have spare stuff in your garage, it's no longer being used…feel free to bring it out here, you know, and leave it in.”
With only a week since opening, the locker room is thriving.
“If it works out the way we hope it does, I don't see any reason why the concept couldn’t translate to other city parks, both in Lakewood and in other places in the community as well,” Bixenstine said.
