Work to start on Boundless Playground
1:00 AM
By Lynn Zerschling Journal staff writer | Posted: Thursday, July 12, 2007
Starting Monday, city crews will dig dirt to prepare ground in Sioux City's Leif Erikson Park for installation of a barrier-free playground.
The Boundless Playground will provide a park where children with disabilities can play with their friends, siblings and classmates.
"This will be the first Boundless Playground in the state of Iowa," Stephanie Reinsch-Hahne, president and CEO of the nonprofit Opportunities Unlimited, said Wednesday.
Her organization, which provides rehabilitation and therapeutic services for people with brain injuries and physical disabilities, sponsored the project and kicked off a fundraising drive to raise more than $200,000 to help foot the bill.
"We are almost done in the fundraising," Debi Durham, president of the Siouxland Foundation, said, "Someone stepped forth in the last 48 hours to possibly do a 'naming gift.' Contractor Dave Audino has been able to get some in-kind donations from the construction community," which will lower the final cost. "It's going very well."
Frank Audino Construction of Sioux City is the general contractor.
In April, community benefactors Regina and Eldon Roth of Beef Products Inc. announced they would match contributions in order to reach the fundraising goal.
Last week, city crews installed a snow fence around the existing playground equipment in the park to prevent people from walking in that area as the city removed equipment, Terry Hoffman, parks and recreation director, said.
"There is no playground equipment there now," he noted. "On Monday, we will be doing some site prep work. We will pour some concrete and put the equipment in first. Then we will have a separate contractor come in and install the rubberized surface."
That hard surface will make it easier for people in wheelchairs to get around the playground.
The goal is to have the playground open by Labor Day, he said.
The city has budgeted $20,000 in in-kind services to defray the salaries and other expenses associated with building the new playground, as well as to renovate the restrooms.
The Boundless Playground will be larger than the old play area and will be closer to the park road in the middle of Leif Erikson, at 1100 31st St. The playground will be designed to meet Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility guidelines and will follow the standards set by the national Boundless Playground organization, Reinsch-Hahne said.
"What this will mean to our community is that we are not only saying we care about all of our children, but we are proving we care by creating a safe place for them to play."
She said her two sons, along with other children in the Opportunities Unlimited family, are excited about playing there.
"Even grandparents who have mobility issues will be able to access this park," she said.
Lynn Zerschling may be reached at (712) 293-4202 or lynnzerschling@siouxcityjournal.com
The Boundless Playground will provide a park where children with disabilities can play with their friends, siblings and classmates.
"This will be the first Boundless Playground in the state of Iowa," Stephanie Reinsch-Hahne, president and CEO of the nonprofit Opportunities Unlimited, said Wednesday.
Her organization, which provides rehabilitation and therapeutic services for people with brain injuries and physical disabilities, sponsored the project and kicked off a fundraising drive to raise more than $200,000 to help foot the bill.
"We are almost done in the fundraising," Debi Durham, president of the Siouxland Foundation, said, "Someone stepped forth in the last 48 hours to possibly do a 'naming gift.' Contractor Dave Audino has been able to get some in-kind donations from the construction community," which will lower the final cost. "It's going very well."
Frank Audino Construction of Sioux City is the general contractor.
In April, community benefactors Regina and Eldon Roth of Beef Products Inc. announced they would match contributions in order to reach the fundraising goal.
Last week, city crews installed a snow fence around the existing playground equipment in the park to prevent people from walking in that area as the city removed equipment, Terry Hoffman, parks and recreation director, said.
"There is no playground equipment there now," he noted. "On Monday, we will be doing some site prep work. We will pour some concrete and put the equipment in first. Then we will have a separate contractor come in and install the rubberized surface."
That hard surface will make it easier for people in wheelchairs to get around the playground.
The goal is to have the playground open by Labor Day, he said.
The city has budgeted $20,000 in in-kind services to defray the salaries and other expenses associated with building the new playground, as well as to renovate the restrooms.
The Boundless Playground will be larger than the old play area and will be closer to the park road in the middle of Leif Erikson, at 1100 31st St. The playground will be designed to meet Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility guidelines and will follow the standards set by the national Boundless Playground organization, Reinsch-Hahne said.
"What this will mean to our community is that we are not only saying we care about all of our children, but we are proving we care by creating a safe place for them to play."
She said her two sons, along with other children in the Opportunities Unlimited family, are excited about playing there.
"Even grandparents who have mobility issues will be able to access this park," she said.
Lynn Zerschling may be reached at (712) 293-4202 or lynnzerschling@siouxcityjournal.com
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