O’Fallon Unveils All-Inclusive Playground Design, Launches Fundraising Effort

The is taking steps to make a playground for children of all abilities a reality. launched their fundraising efforts and unveiled design plans for the all-inclusive playground at an event at the last Wednesday night.

The nature themed playground is slated to be built in this summer. It will be approximately 22, 000 square feet, combining several climbing elements, ramps, slides, swings and musical instruments.

“We want children of all abilities to play together,” said Managing Director of Parks and Recreation Cindy Springer. “Most playgrounds have minimum standards they have to meet to comply with the ADA and only certain elements have to be accessible, but this playground will far exceed those standards.”

To fund the project, the city has teamed up with Unlimited Play, a local non-for profit co-founded by O’Fallon residents Natalie and Todd Blakemore.

The Blakemore’s 10-year-old son Zachary suffers from a rare genetic central nervous system disease, and the family wanted to ensure he could play with friends at local playgrounds. In 2003, the Blakemores and Victoria Babb founded Unlimited Play. Since then, the company has raised funds and received grants to build inclusive playgrounds in Lake St. Louis, Clayton and O'Fallon.

With  $515,836 budgeted from the city and a $250,000 grant from the Developmental Disabilities Resource Board, Springer said the project has 75 percent of the funds needed to build and they have $260,000 to go.

“That’s where we need everyone here,” she said at the fundraiser kick-off on Wednesday. “We need the community to wrap their arms around this playground and help us reach this goal.”

Some community members have already stepped forward to help.

Coach Tim Drowns, a board member of the O’Fallon Community Athletic Club, announced that all proceeds from the organization’s Mother’s Day Tournament will benefit the playground. The tournament is open to anyone who would like to sign up. More information can be found on the OCAC website.

Mayor Bill Hennessy also announced on Wednesday, that the all-inclusive playground will be the number one benefactor of this year’s annual St. Charles County Mayors’ Charity Ball on April 2 at the St. Charles Convention Center.

A “Let’s Play” trivia night to raise funds for the project will be held on April 29 at the O’Fallon Elk’s Lodge. The cost is $160 per table of eight. Residents can register online or by calling O'Fallon Parks and Recreation Department at 636-379-5575.

In addition, a fundraising catalog is also available to allow businesses and residents the chance to sponsor bricks, musical instruments and other parts of the playground.

Once the project is under construction, there will be a couple of community build days when volunteers can help assemble slides and panel pieces to the playground. According to Blakemore, hundreds of volunteers came to the community build day for for Zachary's Playground in Lake St. Louis.

Springer said she hopes to have all of the funds raised for the playground by the end of May for a late summer construction.  She added as soon as all of the pieces have been ordered, the construction takes around six to eight weeks to complete, weather permitting.

For more information on how to donate to the inclusive playground, visit www.unlimitedplay.org.