Burdette, Leavitt take lead on Pathways Playground Project
PARKERSBURG — The Junior League has named Priscilla Leavitt and Jane Burdette to serve as the new co-chairmen for the Pathways Playground Project to build an inclusive playground accessible to all children in the community.
The Junior League has completed Phase One for toddlers at the City Park playground. Phase Two is being developed and includes a gazebo, wheelchair swing, benches and more accessible equipment at the park playground, Burdette said.
Burdette said the Junior League wants to finish the next phase of the playground project by the fall and turn it over to the city of Parkersburg to manage.
West Virginia has the highest per capita rate of disabilities in the U.S., Burdette said. One out of every five West Virginians, or 22.8 percent of the state’s population, has a disability. In Wood County there are 2,435 children under the age of 15 with some type of a disability, said Burdette.
“There is a tremendous need in our community to provide another recreational opportunity for children to interact with siblings and their peers,” said Levitt. “While there is an existing playground currently at the proposed location there is not a barrier-free playground, one that will allow all children access to, and learn and develop through play.”
T-shirts promoting the project are available for a $5 donation and may be purchased at Das Rookhaus on Dudley Avenue. Sizes range from youth small to Adult 4X.
Fundraising for the City Park playground project is underway with grants and donations being sought.
The Junior League is selling engraved bricks for a pathway at a cost of $50 each and engraved leaves ranging in donation values of $100 to the $1,000 range for larger donors. Contact the chairmen or visit the website at jlparkersburg.org/juleps-pathways.html for more details.