Splash Pad Scheduled To Break Ground May 31 In Winona Lake
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Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
WINONA LAKE – The K21 Health Foundation Splashpad at Winona Lake Limitless Park will soon be a reality. A press conference was held Monday at Winona Lake Town Hall to discuss the project. The groundbreaking for the splashpad, year-round restrooms, trailhead facilities and parking area is May 31 at Winona Lake Park at 9:30 a.m. with an opening on Labor Day weekend. Groundbreaking on the limitless park will be spring 2015 with dedication in summer 2015. Representatives from the Winona Lake Limitless Park, town of Winona Lake, Winona Lake Parks, Winona Lake Limitless Park Committee and community partner and major donors attended Monday’s press conference. The total cost of the project is $1.5 million. There has been $700,000 raised so far, and K21 Health Foundation has provided $300,000 of that, according to Erin Porter, Winona Lake Limitless Park committee chair. Funds are still being sought through community donations. The project came out of an idea from Kosciusko Leadership Academy graduates Abby Weiss, Jennifer Orr and Melanie Stevens. The vision of the park is to create a place that embraces the natural beauty of the surrounding environment, Porter said. The limitless park will accommodate children with neurological disabilities such as autism, children who have intellectual disabilities such as Down syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, children who require wheelchairs or other medical equipment, children with physical disabilities and children with social or emotional difficulties. Rich Haddad, K21 Health Foundation president, said the limitless park and splash pad will be a game changer for the community. “We don’t have these sort of facilities available to our families for all abilities and I think this is something unique for a smaller community to have available, and offers to our families in our community and visitors,” Haddad said. He said the splash pad and limitless park will attract families from all around the region. “The splash pad will be a unique outdoor play place for kids with water features and we are excited about that and the limitless playground, to be able to offer outdoor and physical activity for people of all sizes and abilities is very exciting for our community.” Shelby Beam, Winona Lake Park Board president, provided a timeline for the project. The project will be completed in four phases. Once completed, the park will have a splash pad with picnic area and year-round restroom facilities with showers that can be uses by bicyclists (phase one) and a playground (phase two). There will be paths created for easy access to the beach and lake and additional parking (phase three). Summer programming will be expanded to include a special needs day camp utilizing the facilities (phase four.) In order to enhance and enrich the facility and surrounding area, the park will incorporate ecologically friendly elements in its construction, including a recirculating pump to decrease the annual cost of water and its disposal and brick pavers to allow grass to grow and water to drain efficiently. Chris Chockley, Jones Petrie Rafinski, consultant for the project, said features of the splash pad and limitless park include a structure with a double wide ramp that will get users from the sidewalk to the structure that will overlook Winona Lake. Other features will include bucket seats, crawl tubes, swings, water cannons and equipment for cognitive challenges. Dave Taylor, Kosciusko County Convention, Recreation and Visitors Commission president, said the splash pad and limitless park will encourage tourism and be an asset for residents. “This will have a huge impact on those who vacation here because people with disabilities can have a focus to come to our county and we will support this to the fullest extent we can,” Taylor said. Suzie Light, Kosciusko County Community Foundation executive director, said the organization’s donors are thrilled to support a capital project that effects recreation and health. “We are breaking down limits and making this accessible to all people,” Light said. Craig Allebach, Winona Lake town coordinator, said the town sees the project as a great partnership and is excited about the future of the town. “This splash pad will draw in even more people and provide a destination,” Allebach said. Winona Lake Limitless Park has been given a matching grant for individual donations up to $100,000 and until June 23 every dollar will be doubled. For more information about the park or to make a donation, contact Winona Lake at 574-267-7581, visit www.winonalake.net/limitlesspark or like Winona Lake Limitless Park on Facebook.
