With fitness in mind, city launches ‘Passport to play’ program

Props to the city of Portland!

City officials yesterday unveiled a new “Passport to Play” program, an initiative designed to encourage physical activity and introduce residents to local parks and open spaces.

The program, which is funded with money from a federal tobacco settlement, is based around individual “passports,” which are available at Portland Public Library branches, City Hall and the Cummings Center.

These passports include descriptions of 10 city parks, from well-known spots like the Western Promenade to parks less traveled, like Oat Nuts Park on Outer Washington Avenue.

A passport has two pages deveoted to each park. Those pages contain park photos and fun facts, as well as space for participants to create “stamps” from special plaques located in each park.

Hints are given on where to find the plaques, but getting outside and finding the markings is supposed to be part of the fun.