The new Walker Rocks Playground is open to the public, and Walker County government has scheduled a ribbon cutting to celebrate the new addition to the Civic Center complex in Rock Spring.
The event is scheduled for 11 a.m. July 31, said Shannon Whitfield, chair of the county commission.
“We want to invite the community to come out,” he said at a meeting last week. “And bring the kids. And bring the kids of all abilities, because that’s what that playground is all about, is for kids of all abilities, so we want to see all kids there.”
Whitfield said the gathering will include hot dogs, soft drinks and bottled water and be held in the shade of the upgraded pavilion nearby. Commission member Brian Hart said the day of the event is the last official morning for the 27 Farmers Market, held at the Civic Center nearby, though organizers may extend the season.
The playground is open from dawn to dusk, Whitfield said.
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Along with the new playground, he said the pavilion was upgraded and had its bathrooms air-conditioned.
In a video message, Joe Legge, county spokesperson, said the county’s public works employees cleaned up the site, added sod nearby, installed an accessible sidewalk from the parking lot to the playground and rebuilt the nearby walking trail’s pathway.
The recreation project is funded by the county’s sales tax, Whitfield said, but no cost was mentioned. A follow-up text message to Whitfield and emails to Legge asking for the project cost were not returned before deadline.
The county commissioners made the playground they wanted to make it, rather than listen to what the disabled community wanted, Hannah Funderburk said in a phone call. She used to live in Walker County and led a community effort to build a park there about five years ago with ramps, wheelchair access, safety features and more.
The new playground doesn’t have enough amenities, in her opinion, Funderburk said. She also said the county commission should have meetings with the county’s disabled community to get input on what will be included in the next phases of the playground.
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Her family moved to Oregon in 2021, Funderburk said, for her special needs son’s medical treatment.
Breanna Sample is a resident of Chickamauga and the mother of a 3-year-old child with autism. In a Facebook message, she said she would like to have a wheelchair swing added to the playground and have it fenced to keep children safely contained while they play.
She also agreed with Funderburk that parents of special needs children should have been given an opportunity to give input on the park’s design and amenities.
“If there’s one thing I have learned since finding out my child was autistic, is that all children deserve to be included, and it’s time for us to work toward a truly inclusive environment,” Sample said.
In response to questions on Facebook about adding a wheelchair swing to the playground, the Walker County government account said that amenity and a zip line are planned in the playground’s next phase. The county is seeking a grant to fund the playground’s expansion, the government’s account said, that should be built at the end of this year or the beginning of 2025.
Contact Andrew Wilkins at awilkins@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6659.