Director of IMCOM Readiness visits Fort Polk to assess quality of life progress

Photo By Angie Thorne | Brenda Lee McCullough, director, U.S. Army installation Management Command, Directorate-Readiness, visited Play Town & Café March 15 as part of a two-day trip focused on quality of life initiatives. McCullough watched as children and parents happily enjoyed the benefits of the newly opened facility.  

FORT POLK, LA, UNITED STATES

03.27.2023

Story by Angie Thorne 

Fort Johnson Public Affairs Office

FORT POLK, La. — Whether you have lived at Fort Polk for a while or are brand new to the installation, you are bound to have noticed the abundance of ribbon cuttings taking place everywhere you look.
These positive changes are occurring because Fort Polk is part of a pilot program targeting quality-of-life improvement.
Brenda Lee McCullough, Director, U.S. Army Installation Management Command, Directorate-Readiness, visited Fort Polk March 14-15 to check on the latest completed projects, and those still in the works.
While here, McCullough attended the ribbon cutting for 9th Street, went on barracks tours, visited a Child Development Center, the North Fort Fire Station, STARBASE, housing and more.
McCullough was impressed with Fort Polk’s hard work.
“I think it’s phenomenal what the team has done to push all the projects and programing toward an opportunity to help service members and Families and to make life at Fort Polk just that much better than it already was,” McCullough said.
One of the highlights of her visit was a tour of Fort Polk’s newly opened Play Town & Café.
While at the facility, McCullough saw for herself the benefits of the quality of life improvements in use at Fort Polk through the enjoyment of the children and parents playing and making use of the newly-opened facility.
“It’s the exact energy that we were expecting for this facility. I love how the children are having a great time while parents are relaxing and interacting. That’s exactly why we set this up. We wanted a nice place for children, especially when it gets super hot and muggy here,” McCullough said. “It also gives the parents a break while in eye contact with their kids. I think it’s awesome.”
Play Town & Café is a 12,000-square-foot indoor playground and café for Fort Polk Families to have a safe, comfortable atmosphere to play, meet other Families and encourage a sense of community.
The facility has an indoor play area with slides, climbing nets, interactive games,  battery-powered ride-on cars and more. 
For parents, Play Town & Café offers limited exercise equipment for eligible patrons. In addition, it has a party room, which can be rented for birthday parties, Family Readiness functions, instructional classed and more. 
What does all that mean?
Jonathan Cole, Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation director, summed up the appeal of the new facility and its contribution to quality of life at Fort Polk.
“Play Town & Café is fun,” Cole said.
For more information about Play Town & Café call [phone].

• Date Taken: 03.27.2023
• Date Posted: 03.29.2023 10:26
• Story ID: 441442
• Location: FORT POLK, LA, US