Ready, Set… PLAY! It’s Time to Build a Playground.

Believe it or not, the time has finally come to begin construction on our playground!

Beginning next month, Sara’s Garden will break ground on Northwest Ohio’s first handicap accessible, inclusive playground. This playground will address the needs of typically developing children, as well as children with neurological, intellectual and physical disabilities. Our goal is to design and create a truly inclusive playground that accommodates all children and challenges each of them at their own developmental levels. This playground is designed to go far beyond ADA compliance. It will be a space that encourages children of all abilities to play with one another. It will have a variety of equipment and activities to enable children with disabilities to experience movement, play and independence along with their typically developing peers.

The initial estimate for this project came in at well over $400,000. Thankfully, through equipment discounts and community support through in-kind labor and product donations, Sara’s Garden has been able to bring the cost of the project down to $387,000. The funding raised will be used to pay for site excavation, surface drainage and preparation, fully accessible playground equipment, concrete work for sidewalks and a basketball court, and the rubberized handicap accessible playground surface.

We now need your help to bring the project to completion. The construction of the playground will be a community build project. What that means is that once the site has been cleared and all the holes for the equipment have been dug, we will need teams of volunteers to sign up to work in June to help us put the playground equipment together and help us spread stone which will serve as the base for the playground surface.

Below is the tentative schedule for needed volunteers for the upcoming playground build:

Saturday, June 13th – Community Playground Build

• Two 4 hour volunteer shifts
  • 1st Shift: 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
  • 2nd Shift: 12:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
• 30 volunteers needed per shift
• Lunch provided to both shifts at noon

Sunday, June 14th – Community Playground Build

• Two 4 hour volunteer shifts
  • 1st Shift: 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
  • 2nd Shift: 12:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
• 30 volunteers needed per shift
• Lunch provided to both shifts at noon

Tuesday, June 16th – Friday, June 19th – Surface Base Prep

• One 3 hour volunteer shift each evening
  • 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
• 5-10 volunteers needed each evening

If you are interested in volunteering by yourself or with a group, please contact Matt or Paul at 419.335.7272 as soon as possible.

We are so grateful for the support we have received for this project from area individuals, businesses and organizations. This playground would not have been possible without your generosity and partnership.