Pavers available to help playground project
The monkey bars at the Junior League of Parkersburg’s playground at City Park. (Photo Provided)
The gazebo at the Junior League of Parkersburg’s playground at City Park. It was constructed in memory of Mickey Welch, a major contributor who died in 2019. (Photo Provided)
The monkey bars at the Junior League of Parkersburg’s playground at City Park. (Photo Provided)
The gazebo at the Junior League of Parkersburg’s playground at City Park. It was constructed in memory of Mickey Welch, a major contributor who died in 2019. (Photo Provided)
PARKERSBURG - This could be the last big push for the Junior League of Parkersburg's Pathways Playground Project at City Park, an organizer said.
The league has been working on the all-inclusive playground accessible to all children in the community for more than a decade and is nearing the end, project Chairman Jane Burdette said. Completed are Phase 1 for toddlers, Phase 2 that included a gazebo, wheelchair swing, benches and more accessible equipment and Phase 3 that added a wheelchair monkey bar and two pieces of equipment for upper body building.
"There is a tremendous need in our community to provide another recreational opportunity for children to interact with siblings and their peers," Burdette said. "While there is an existing playground currently at the location, there was not a barrier-free playground, one that will allow all children access to and learn and develop through play."
The final push is the sale of the remainder of the unengraved pavers for the roughly 150 square foot plaza, Burdette said. Of the 360 pavers for the fundraisers, less than a third remain unengraved, she said.
"We have quite a few left," she said. "Probably close to 100."
Engraved pavers are $50 each, Burdette said. They can be engraved with up to three lines with 12 spaces for each line, she said.
People can buy as many bricks as they want, Burdette said. Anyone can buy a brick by contacting Burdette at 304 485-2063.
Much of the playground has been paid for with donations from residents and organizations of the community, she said.
"We truly appreciate what people have done over the years," Burdette said.
Among the latest parts of the project that have been completed is a 500 foot sidewalk, Burdette said.
The gazebo at the playground, built in the memory of the late Mickey Welch, a major supporter of the project and other community initiatives, will be dedicated at a later date, Burdette said. The time and date of the ceremony has yet to be determined, she said.
The gazebo will be known as Mickey's Shady Rest.
West Virginia has the highest per capita rate of disabilities in the United States, about one in five people, Burdette said. In Wood County, 2,435 children under 15 have some type of a disability, she said.
Jess Mancini can be reached at jmancini<\@>newsandsentinel.com.