by Katelyn Dotson
Playgrounds provide a place to have fun and be active during nice days, although not all are designed with everyone in mind. That concern was solved with the construction of a brand-new accessible playground at Dillon State Park, which was made possible by the Ohio State Parks Foundation.
The adaptive playground has been placed in the vicinity of the Storybook Trail, tennis, volleyball, and basketball courts, and the beach at Dillon State Park. Accessible restrooms are just a short walk away. Snider Recreation finished the installation of the play area. “I’m excited to see the smiles on kids’ faces as they enjoy the new playground which gives everyone new opportunities to play and have fun,” Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Director Mary Mertz stated. The playground is open to the public from six a.m. to eleven p.m.
The new all-inclusive playground sports many enjoyable aspects, including sensory equipment that has multiple textures, a ground-level ramp that leads into the play area, and activity panels designed for inclusive use. The playground was built with contributions from the J.W. & M.H. Straker Foundation, which donated $293,000 to the Ohio State Parks Foundation. “We are delighted to have funded this playground at Dillon State Park. I am certain it will be a treasured Muskingum County asset for people of all abilities to enjoy,” mentioned Straker Foundation President and CEO Susan Holdren.
Photo by Ohio Department of Natural Resources
