Published: July 02, 2008 08:24 am      

Working closer to playtime

Plans for the Lake Reba Handicap Accessible Playground are progressing and new fundraising events have begun to help fund the project that is expected to cost about $100,000.

The playground has been an evolving idea for the past three years, said Richmond City Manager David Evans.

The Richmond City Commission recently applied for several grants, but has not received any information in response, Evans said.

The playground is something that has been needed in the Richmond area for a long time, said Jon McChesney, Richmond Civitan Club president and associate professor and graduate director for Eastern Kentucky University’s Department of Recreation and Park Administration.

“There’s 10,000 (handicapped) kids in central Kentucky, and in Madison County, there’s about 2,300,” McChesney said. “The playground is going to be fully integrated. We forget too often that there are adults and veterans with disabilities. This is not a playground that excludes able-bodied kids. It lets them play together.”

The Richmond Civitan Club has contributed to the project by hosting several fundraising events in the past, and are planning more in the future.

The playground will be funded by the City of Richmond ($75,000), the Richmond Civitan Club and outside donations. The playground will need a special surface, rather than mulch that is used for most playgrounds. The rubber/mesh material is expected to cost about $40,000, said Erin Moore, assistant director for the Richmond Parks and Recreation Department.

The group will host a “Doggie Wash” from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, at Irvine McDowell Park, and a fundraising drive for park sponsors recently has begun.

The names of sponsors will be included on the park’s sign.

There are four levels of sponsorship, which are tax-free donations:

• Bronze, individual sponsor or “In Memory Of,” $100; church/non-profit, $250; business sponsor, $500;

• Silver, individual sponsor or “In Memory Of,” $250; church/non-profit, $500; business sponsor, $1,000;

• Gold, individual sponsor or “In Memory Of,” $500; church/non-profit, $1,000; business sponsor, $1,500; • Platinum, individual sponsor or “In Memory Of,” $1,000; church/non-profit, $5,000; business sponsor, $7,500.

Checks can be made payable to the Richmond Civitan Club and mailed to: Dr. Jon McChesney, 105 Mildred Court, Richmond, 40475.

Call McChesney at 622-1835 for more information.

Constructing the handicap accessible playground is just one of the steps being taken to provide more park services to Richmond and Madison County residents.

A 15-question survey that is to help the planning of future parks and recreational facilities is now available online at www.parks.richmond.ky.us. or www.richmond.ky.us. A hard copy of the survey can be picked up at the Richmond Parks and Recreation Department located at 321 N. Second St.

The data from this survey will be used to create a Parks & Recreation Master Plan for the city.

The survey’s questions were the result of several different meetings of the Richmond Parks and Recreation Board, the city Parks Board and studying master plans of comparable communities.

More than 400 people already have completed the survey, McChesney said.

There will be a public forum at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 22, at First Christian Church at Lancaster Avenue and West Main Street.

There will be hard copies of the survey available for those who are not comfortable with filling the survey out online.

Another public forum is being planned that will focus more on what senior citizens want out of the city’s parks system, McChesney said. However, a date, time and location have yet to be determined.

All surveys must be completed by July 31.

Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234.