Supporters of the forthcoming Morgan Hill Inclusive Playground continue to raise awareness and funds for their project, which needs another $3.5 million in funding before it can proceed.
The City of Morgan Hill so far has contributed about $100,000 of public funds for the project design, which was presented by contractor Verde Design at a city council meeting this summer. The city’s six-year Capital Improvement Program dedicated another $300,000 of city funds to go toward construction of the new park, which will be located on the grounds of the Community Park, located between West Edmundson and Cosmo avenues.
The remainder of the funds will have to be raised from private donors, grants and other sources, according to Morgan Hill Parks and Recreation Commissioner Ron Locicero, one of the chief supporters of the project.
“We’re trying to make it a regional park for the Morgan Hill, Gilroy, Hollister areas, and even Salinas and San Jose,” Locicero said. “We want to make it a destination.”
Locicero and other inclusive park supporters are currently in search of a “major donor” who can contribute significant funding to the effort and add clout that will help carry the word far beyond Morgan Hill.
The inclusive park will be designed to accommodate all children, including those with disabilities who might not be able to enjoy traditional public parks with their peers.
The design for the Morgan Hill Inclusive Park shows a variety of features intended to stimulate participants’ tactile senses and facilitate observation and interaction between park attendees.
A tree house has a view deck, moveable parts, a climbing net, slide and other creative features, the design concept illustrates. A “sound play garden” allows children to make music with a laser harp, chimes and percussion instruments built into the ground. Also planned for the park is a sand play area, water spray feature, swing set that can accommodate children in wheelchairs, a climbing wall, a seating area aimed at the action where kids can simply watch their peers, an amphitheater and outdoor classroom.
Access to the facility, including parking and restrooms, will be designed to ease the path for those with physical disabilities, according to the designs.
Locicero added the park can even be used by senior citizens and veterans who suffer from disabilities.
The city held a “Fun Day at the Park” June 25 to raise awareness and funds for the project. More than 200 people attended that event at the Community Park, which featured games, face painting and animal balloons, Locicero said. Home Depot oversaw a station where kids could place their handprint in a clay tile, which they gave to the children to take home after the solution hardened.
Inclusive playground advocates also guided guests on a virtual tour of the project within its proposed footprint.
“We tried to show them the size of the park,” Locicero said.
Locicero and his wife Shirlee are both former teachers—a background that inspired them to embark on the mission to bring an inclusive playground to Morgan Hill. They started the effort about two years ago. Morgan Hill Unified School District has also voiced its support for an inclusive playground in town.
