The all-volunteer effort to turn an abandoned playground next to the former Cedar Park Elementary School into a community park, received a boost from King County, which awarded the Cedar Park Project with a $45,000 youth sport grant.

The two-acre park site is located at 37th Avenue NE and NE 135th in the Cedar Park neighborhood, which is part of the Greater Lake City area.

Anne Paisley, coordinator of the project, reports that a contractor, Father &;amp Son, has been hired to begin work on the project in September, with a completion date scheduled for the end of January. The contractor is also working on the nearby "Last Open Space Park" project in Lake City.

Construction work will include regrading the site to correct drainage problems, building the entryway plaza stairs and circular plaza, building an asphalt basketball court with hoops, and installing picnic benches and tables.

"I can't tell you how helpful it is," says Paisley regarding the grant. "It's basically going to pay for our play equipment."

Cedar Park volunteers will install the playground equipment.

Lake City artist David Jacobson, who is a resident of the nearby Cedar Park Arts Center (the former Cedar Park Elementary School), will create the artwork that will adorn the entryway for the new park.

The Cedar Park Project is still seeking donations and volunteers. For more information, call 365-1032.