More than 50 people – many of them kids – attended a grand opening of the Cedar River Park All-Inclusive Playground on Saturday, April 26.
The community has been making good use of the All-Play Playground since it opened in December at Cedar River Park, according to Waverly Leisure Services Director Garret Riordan.
“I think every day that I drove by that it was over 50 degrees, there was half a dozen cars out here with people out here playing,†Riordan said.
Past Mayor Dean Soash echoed the popularity of the inclusive playground.
“I drive this several times a week,†Soash said. “As Garret said, there’s kids here, and the wonderful thing is, the majority of them are probably 6 or 7 years old and younger. It’s something that, regardless of physical abilities, they can handle and have fun with, as opposed to some of the large equipment that’s in some of the other parks. It’s absolutely great.â€
Riordan said he was happy with the turnout Saturday.
“One of the major things for this playground is that it offers a chance for kids of all ages, all abilities to come together, play, interact, meet new people, and a chance for everyone to have fun,†Riordan said.
Riordan credited those conducting the design, engineering and construction: Modern Design Architects of Janesville designed the area. Diane Witt, who covers Eastern Iowa for with Outdoor Recreation Products, designed the play equipment and how that would sit, Riordan said. Mätt Construction of Sumner was the contractor that “built everything, put everything in place,†and SofSurfaces was the contractor “who installed all the soft) tile,†Riordan said. The tile is removable for simpler maintenance, rather than a poured-in surface.
Riordan broadly thanked multiple mayors and city councils “for seeing this project all the way through. The playground has been on the list for some time,†Riordan said.
Lastly, Riordan credited the Leisure Services Commission for making initial decisions on the project. “They discussed what we wanted for equipment, for tile, if we wanted a poured-in play surface, the colors that we wanted,†Riordan said.
The playground was planned for inclusivity, Riordan said.
“We have a communication board that is meant to help people who have troubles communicating, they can point to words, spell out words, (use) numbers, those types of things. There’s other sensory boards there for sound, musical things. We have a kaleidoscope. We also have ramps up to the playground for those who are mobility challenged.
“We’ve got a lot of things for everyone,†Riordan said.
The design reflects input from mobility and sensory behavior experts, Riordan indicated.
“Most of this was all suggested by them and talked about at Leisure Services Commission, and (the) Commission chose what we could get in for our budget,†Riordan said.
The Leisure Services Commission, which Riordan named, consists of, Chair Brittany Knipper, Randy Neuendorf, Sonja Bodine, Shuree Huhman, Joel Johnson, Derek Solheim and Tara Winter. A few commissioners attended, including Knipper and Johnson.
Cutting the ribbon for the playground, Waverly Mayor Mark Anderson credited Past Mayor Soash for helping make the all-inclusive playground happen.
“This is a great resource for kids of all abilities, and it is just super to have this,†Anderson said.
Soash was positive about the playground but eschewed credit.
“It’s more than what I envisioned. Even though I didn’t have a big hand in planning how it was all going to fit together, it’s turned out wonderful,†Soash said.
Anderson recognized the council members in attendance, Ann Rathe, Tim Kangas and Jenn Wolff.
Work on the playground started in September and concluded in late November. The cost included work, equipment and tiling, and totaled more than $528,991, archives state.
“We ended just over budget, of course, because that’s how things tend to go,†Riordan said.
“What you’re looking at here is (more than $528,991) in work, in equipment, in the tiling, all of that.
“We have three donors for this project,†Riordan said, crediting them for making the project possible. Black Hawk County Gaming Association, Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, and VGM Group Inc. all donated to the project.
“(The BHC Gaming Association) were gracious enough to provide us with a grant that is the largest grant outside of Black Hawk County they’ve ever given,†Riordan said. The BHCGA granted the Cedar River Park Inclusive Playground $250,000 during the fiscal 2022 grant cycle.
A game was played on the Miracle League field at noon. (Story planned for a later issue.)
As to why the playground might also benefit Black Hawk County, the All-Play Playground and the Waverly Miracle League ball field – located diagonally behind the playground – serve kids from the surrounding area.
The next-closest Cedar Valley Miracle League field is in Parkersburg. Parkersburg Miracle League Coordinator Matt Waller said kids travel to play on the Waverly and Parkersburg Miracle League teams from as far as Hudson, Charles City and Grundy Center.
As to inclusive playgrounds, Waverly could be early on the trend curve, as the Black Hawk Gaming Association now has multiple inclusive playground grants for the area listed on its website.
In front of TV crews, Anderson pointed to the Vine Valley Real Estate development across Cedar River Parkway, adding, “We’ve got houses going up over there. Waverly is expanding and growing, and great things are happening here.â€
