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City to Host Ribbon Cutting for New Riverfront Tugboat Play Area
SAVANNAH (Feb. 9, 2024) – Officials from the City of Savannah will join members of the community to celebrate the reopening of the new tugboat play area on the Riverfront, Feb. 14.
In a resolution on Thursday, City Council accepted the donation of the new tugboat play area from Margot Meyerhoff, daughter of Riverfront Urban Renewal Project architect Eric Meyerhoff.
Margot Meyerhoff raised funding through community involvement to construct and install a new ADA accessible structure to replace the original wooden tugboat installed by her father in 1977. Meyerhoff worked with the City’s Park & Tree Department who will handle maintenance of the play area.
The Riverfront Urban Renewal Project, completed in June 1977, was a public-private partnership that leveraged Urban Renewal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Community Development Block Grant (CDGB) program funds, an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant as well as City of Savannah funds to transform a dilapidated area of the City into a thriving riverfront park.
Eric Meyerhoff was the project architect of Gunn & Meyerhoff A.I.A. Architects and designed a special play area for children to enjoy the new riverfront park. The original tugboat, nicknamed “Tinkerbell,” suffered significant wear and tear over the years and had been repaired and rebuilt multiple times until it was completely removed several years ago for safety reasons.
What: Tugboat Play Area Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
When: Wednesday, Feb. 14, 10:30 a.m.
Where: East River St., across from Vic’s on the River
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