By HEIDI GASSER
BG Independent News
Disability advocates are continuing momentum as Northwood held a groundbreaking ceremony recently in Brentwood Park, for the fourth inclusive playground to be built in Wood County, a project set to be finished in the next six months.
The movement was initiated by Wood County Plays, a nonprofit founded by Ryan and Kaley Wichman in 2019, after they visited a playground where their son was not able to play due his mobility limitations. Since, Ryan Wichman said, the organization has underlined its mission with a commitment to “allow all children to play together, with all abilities.”
“You can have two kids that go to the same school, sit in the same class and are friends, but have different abilities for a number of reasons. We never want there to be a reason why a kid who may use a wheelchair isn’t able to attend a birthday party at the neighborhood park because it’s not accessible,” Wichman said.
The Northwood facility, like others in Perrysburg, Bowling Green and Fostoria, will be open to children and families of all ability levels.
In opening remarks of the ceremony, Ryan Wichman discussed the importance of giving kids disability-friendly opportunities to play in as many parts of the county as possible. Community donors and stakeholders were invited to grab shovels and break ground. Brent Baer, superintendent of the Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities, said that the community need could not be overstated.
“This project is creating safe and accessible opportunities for those with disabilities in a whole new part of Wood County,” Baer said.“Northwood as its own community deserves this opportunity.”
Ryan Wichman also announced that the playground will set records as the first to have a wheelchair accessible trampoline in Ohio.
The Wichman’s son, Grant Wichman, has served as an experienced playground tester for the other three parks over the years. When asked about his favorite feature of the new project, he had one priority.
“The trampoline,” Grant Wichman said. “… with my friends.”
Sawyer Mullen was most excited for the zipline and said he plans to wait his turn “until the end of the line.”
Mom Lisa Mullen shared that her son has been diagnosed with autism, and that she wants “for him to meet other kids to interact with.” Mullen said she was excited to take Sawyer to a new park, since they frequently attend the Perrysburg playground already.
“For him, it is about getting him out to play. He likes to watch and see what everyone else is doing, so if he sees the new things, it will bring him out to play and include him. He can feel anxious and nervous, so new things might encourage him to try,” Mullen said.
According to Kaley Wichman, the facility was designed with kids like Sawyer in mind, too.
“We do think about all types of disabilities when designing the playground, whether that’s a physical disability or an intellectual disability. The fencing helps those kids who might run away, and you have the surface material for wheelchairs and walkers for easier mobility,” Wichman said.
Gilbert Gonzalez was also enthusiastic about the trampoline, and said he had never been to a playground with one before. Gonzalez expressed excitement about the smooth, rubber flooring: safe for more risky play, and better for his friends who need mobility support.
“Mulch would be tough for wheelchairs because you can’t have them on it,” Gonzalez said.
The facility will be situated amongst the baseball fields for Northwood’s Miracle League, a youth baseball organization for kids with disabilities.
Gilbert Gonzalez’s mom and Miracle League coach, Stacy Gonzalez, attended the ceremony to show support on behalf of the league.
“We are so excited to have a space for the kids to play after a game, and to hang out and create that community after the game,” Gonzalez said.
The City of Northwood, Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities and Miracle League all worked closely alongside Wood County Plays to coordinate logistics, secure funding and spread the word within the community.
“Most other Miracle League complexes around the nation have playgrounds on site, an inclusive playground. This was always in future planning for us. We can’t build it all at one time,” Jeff Barton, Miracle League president, said.
According to Kevin Laughlin, Northwood city administrator, the “fast-and furious” construction time frame was made possible by the “infectious” energy brought on by community organizers. Close relationships, the worthiness of the cause and charitable donations of time and money made the construction possible.
“It’s the preexisting relationships between the city of Northwood and the Miracle League, and by extension Wood County Plays,” Laughlin said. “It’s like the stars aligned.”
The project will be budget neutral to the city after pre-allocated city dollars, grant funding and community donations covered the $800,000 cost. While the facility design runs a high bill, organizers worked hard to keep costs minimal. An Ohio EPA grant covered $125,000 of rubber playground flooring; the city received $300,000 from the state capital budget grant.
In addition, the project is saving around $100,000 by calling upon community members to actually build the playground.
“We call it IKEA on steroids,” Ryan Wichman said. “We can have 40 to 50 volunteers building on site at a time.”
Remaining costs were paid through direct donations.
“When you donate, you know exactly where it’s going and it’s going right to the equipment and making the playground happen,” Wichman said.
Laughlin said that while some projects can struggle to get off the ground, it helps when organizers find pockets of funding in alignment with a powerful cause.
“With a lot of infrastructure projects and things like that, it’s almost like the snowball effect. If you get that initial grant source or investment, that money really tends to attract money,” Laughlin said. “When Ryan and Wood County Plays approached the city, to us it made a heck of a lot of sense with what they were envisioning and planning.”
Volunteers ready to learn and build are encouraged to follow Wood County Plays on social media and keep a look out for events listed on the website Events page.
