GRANDVIEW Fun for All

New playground at Pierce Field is accessible to those with disabilities

By Jessica Salerno

You know what they say: location, location, location.

The newest addition to the Grandview Parks and Recreation Department offers location and much more.

The new playground at Pierce Field, near the northeast corner of West First Avenue and Oxley Road, is “completely surrounded by homes and businesses, and is in the midst of the community it serves,” says Sean Robey, director of Grandview Parks and Recreation.

And that’s exactly what Robey had in mind when designing the area.

“We have a lot of folks from our own community and a lot of folks visiting,” he says.

The new playground is part of the 2007 Master Plan for Pierce Field, with a goal to add a new community building as well as update and make the playgrounds more accessible.

“The nice thing about an accessible playground is that it’s not just for people in a wheelchair; it’s for all of the young people whether they have accessibility issues or not,” says Robey.

Made possible by a grant from the Henry E. Coyle Foundation of The Columbus Foundation, the playground received $43,114 of what would end up being an approximately $75,000 project.

“It wouldn’t have happened as quickly without the help of The Columbus Foundation,” Robey says. The remaining money came from the Pierce Field Fund, which receives donations from the community.

The grand opening took place Aug. 11 in conjunction with the Stevens Elementary Ice Cream Social across the street. In attendance were Mayor Ray DeGraw, City Council President Steve Reynolds and Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Chairperson Dan Headapohl.

Their presence “speaks to the amount that the parks are important to the community leaders. They wanted to be a part of the public ‘thank you,’” says Robey.

The playground’s new equipment is accessible in three key ways: an accessible route to and within the playground; a solid rubber surface allowing wheelchairs to move around easily as well as lessen the severity of falls; and multiple ground components of the playground, which allow a child to play with the activity panels and other games without leaving their wheelchair.

“A lot of kids will be playing on this for years to come,” says Robey.