Rotary Park on Pardue Lane is set to bring accessible and universal play to Hopkinsville. Parks and Recreation Superintendent Toby Hudson and Josh Wagner from Miracle Playgrounds of Ky. & Tn. spotlighted the playground’s design and construction timeline on Tuesday.
The pair provided the update at Tuesday’s Hopkinsville Rotary Club meeting.
Miracle Playgrounds of Ky. & Tn. is a family-run company based out of Leitchfield that designs and installs playgrounds. The Rotary Park playground comes with around an $850,000 price tag and is set to be around 13,600 square feet with multiple levels accessible by ramps and a focus on inclusive play for all ages.
Wagner shared that former Parks and Recreation Superintendent Tab Brockman approached him about the playground a couple of years ago. While creating the playground’s layout, Wagner says they focused on ensuring that it was accessible for children, parents and grandparents, as well as those with disabilities.
The playground will feature a sensory area that will include music-related activities and a tranquility corner that serves to give children who might be overstimulated an area where they can decompress.
Since the playground will be easy to navigate, Wagner says adults will be able to better supervise their kiddos while they play.
Hudson says the playground site preparation work should be completed by June 30 and then the playground preparation should be completed in October. He expects the playground to open by the end of the year weather pending.
Park and the playground construction are partly being supported by grants. The Rotary Club donated $100,000 to the project and Hudson shared that they also received a $150,000 crumb rubber grant. Hudson says he is also talking with state representatives to see if more funding can be secured.
Donations to the park’s construction can be made at hopkinsvillerotary.com/playground.
