Sugar Sand Science Playground Among USA Today's Top 10 Contenders

Boca Raton residents know Sugar Sand Park's Science Playground is special. Now there's a chance to let all of America understand what a jewel it is.

USA Today selected Sugar Sand's Science Playground to be one of 20 parks nationally to contend in its 10 Best's Reader's Choice Awards in the Best Public Playground category.

“It's an honor to be listed among some of the great playgrounds in America,” District Executive Director Briann Harms said. “We're extremely proud of Sugar Sand's Science Playground and how much it's loved by our community.” 

The Science Playground is competing against playgrounds from much larger cities, including New York, Los Angelos, Philadelphia, St. Louis and Seattle. 

Voting is already underway at https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/science-playground-sugar-sand-park-boca-raton-florida/. Under contest rules, voters are allowed to cast one vote for the Science Playground per day.

The contest runs through April 6.

The story behind the Science Playground's creation at District-owned Sugar Sand is as remarkable as the playground is enjoyable.

In 1993 a group of Boca Raton residents requested that District Commissioners build a playground that combined education and recreation at the park. Commissioners quickly agreed, relying heavily on community input for the design and creation of the new playground.

To choose which features to include in the playground, organizers turned to the people who would use it most. They asked local children to describe their fantasy playground.

Taking those suggestions, the District contracted with Playgrounds by Leathers to turn those fantasies into reality. Robert Leathers' work had been featured on Sesame Street and in People magazine.

Once designed, the Boca Raton community's spirit of volunteerism kicked into high gear.

Construction began on a May Saturday in 1995, with about 400 volunteers arriving for duty. People from across the city donated their services as carpenters, painters, cement layers – basically every skill required for a construction project – to help create the new science playground.

Bob Piuni donated his face. Well, kind of. To create the iconic face that looks down from atop the playground, sculptor Robyn Ben-Ari created the design using Piuni's head as a model. 

From inside the head looking out, visitors could see into the giant eyeball that turned the playground upside down - as the human eye sees an image before brain puts it right-side-up. Looking inside the face's replica of human mouth, they'd see illuminated taste buds.

It is believed more than 1,000 volunteers contributed their time to the project. The volunteers received a little help from an unexpected group. 

With the playground nearing completion but foul weather delaying the final steps, the District enlisted the help of the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office new Correction's Public Service Initiative program that allowed non-violent offenders out of jail to perform community service tasks under the supervision of officers. 

In 1995, 14 prisoners volunteered to lend their skills to put the finishing touches on the playground.

The one-acre, 25-foot high project opened December of 1995. It only cost $500,000, plus the donated materials. When it opened there were fewer than 10 such playgrounds in the nation.

Along with climbing inside the human head, playground visitors can crawl under the ribs of a Florida Imperial Mammoth in the fossil pit, take a spaceship to Mars, explore a DNA double helix and an exposed coral reef, fire water cannons and race flashing lights that simulate the speed of different animals.

The Science Playground underwent renovations in 2017.

It has withstood the test of time, remaining a destination for children, parents and grandparents.