Special playground, special children

In order for a delivery van to pull up at Signal Centers, staff must first clear the playground.

"Our playground has a driveway through it, so when transportation vehicles come to the adult center, we have to move children to different parts of the playground and keep them away from the road," explains Donna McConnico, chief executive officer of Signal Centers.

To correct this and other play-space problems, Signal Centers has launched a $200,000 campaign to build a therapeutic playground that incorporates music and art in its design. Additionally, it will be one of the state's first "nature playgrounds," a designation earned by meeting a specific amount of landscaping and green space for children.

Signal Centers is a nonprofit agency that strengthens families by offering services for adults and children that focus on living with disabilities, early childhood education, and self-sufficiency. Approximately 90 children ages 6 weeks to 6 years attend school at the Brainerd agency.

For a school that includes a large number of disabled children in its student body, Signal Centers' playground is not accessible to all of them, Ms. McConnico noted.

"We want every area of the playground to be accessible to children with disabilities and it is not right now. There is only one accessible swing, and the structure of our playground will not accept wheelchairs," said the director.

"Every child deserves a place to play," she said.

The fundraising effort is the project of Friends of Special Children, chaired by Chet and Janet Logan. The Logans are not parents of a Signal Centers child, but volunteers who support the work done there. Mr. Logan is a board member and Mrs. Logan is a member of the Friends.

Friends of Special Children is a 501c.3 nonprofit of community volunteers. In three years, the Friends have purchased Intellitools educational software for adaptive technology, funded a state-of-the-art classroom and raised $80,000 to endow scholarships to Signal Centers.

"The Friends don't have an executive director, they don't have an office, but they are raising hundreds of thousands of dollars," said Jack Riggar, spokesman for Signal Centers. "They are already over $100,000 toward this playground."

The 22,000-square-foot playground will feature PlayCore equipment that incorporates musical sounds such as a kettle drum, whistles, rattles and rings. A fire truck with accessible ramps will hold interactive art and music panels.

The sloping hillside will be developed into a 1,600-square-foot amphitheater, with sound system to pipe in music for dance and music therapy.

The entrance drive will be relocated and new handicapped-accessible gate installed. About 12,000 feet of resilient rubber surfacing will be laid to provide safe fall zones.

"The coolest thing to me is the tricycle riding area where little tykes can race their tricycles around in a big circle. I can just see those little legs pumping," said Mr. Logan.

"It is easily viewable from an incorporated deck area so grownups can watch them at all times. Another cool feature is that there is a vine-covered entranceway which will be like a cave made out of ivy and flowers," he said.

"I think it will be an amazing place for children to have imaginative play, and play is how children learn," said Ms. McConnico.

To raise the balance of the needed funds, Friends of Special Children is holding a live and silent auction on Sept. 24. Additionally, donors may buy a piece of equipment or section of fencing. These sponsorships range from $25 for a section of fence to $3,500 or more. To help, call 698-8528.

IF YOU GO

* What: Under the Big Top.

* When: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24.

* Where: Signal Centers, 109 N. Germantown Road.

* Tickets: $50.

* Phone: 698-8528.