Leadership class to build special needs playground

The public playground is an important component of any community, Cheryl Fogle told the Aiken County Board of Education earlier this week.

But thousands of Aiken County children have physical and cognitive disabilities and cannot utilize a traditional playground. That's why the 2009-10 Leadership Aiken County class has chosen to build the county's first barrier-free playground for special needs kids, said Fogle, a class member.

The class is seeking the endorsement of the School Board and other organizations and is embarking on a fundraising effort for the "All Play Every Day" project. Fogle acknowledged such a playground with specialized equipment would be expensive - about $175,000. The Leadership class is looking at a first phase of about $50,000.

Leadership Aiken County is an annual project that brings together community residents to learn about the City of Aiken and Aiken County in terms of government, business and industry, education and health care. They are required to do a class project, and the idea of a barrier-free playground appealed to all of the class members.

The City of Aiken has been supportive of their efforts, members said, but the project is not in the City's budget in a difficult fiscal climate.

"It's not just our class project," said another member, Heather Raynack. "It's something the entire community can get behind. Our class is going to help create awareness and at least fund one or two pieces. Of course, if we can get the entire $175,000, we'll build the whole playground."

The specialized playground, which is suitable for all children, would have a rubberized flooring assessable by wheelchair and ramps to reach stations. Musical instruments would be built into walls.

At the School Board meeting, Fogle discussed Sydney Parker, who was just a toddler several years ago when she was severely injured and disabled in a traffic accident.

"Imagine not playing when others are having fun," Fogle said. "To have a playground that Sydney could play in would mean so much to her."

The Leadership Aiken County class will host a bocce tournament as a fundraiser at Whitney Polo Field on Saturday, April 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost of $200 per team will include lunch.

For more information on the tournament and the overall project, visit www.AikenPlayground.org or call Raynack at 293-4372.

Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.