After taking a two-year hiatus, community members have revived fundraising efforts that will help establish a playground in Ringgold for children and adults with disabilities.
Once built, Crossroads Unity Family Park will enable parents who use a wheelchair, walker or crutches to be an active part of their children's play.
"Many times, adults with disabilities choose not to go because they cannot maneuver throughout the playgrounds. Or if they do go, they can only sit on the sides and watch," said Millie Cheek, chair of the volunteer-based committee dedicated to making the playground a reality. "The uniqueness of the park is that we have not yet found another in the United States that addresses the difficulties of adults with disabilities."
Though the idea was initially conceived with veterans in mind, the inclusive park will cater to people of all ages and abilities.
The focal point of the playground will be a treehouse sitting at its center, which will contain a small exhibit hall featuring a rotating selection of educational displays themed around butterflies, insects or rocks, to name a few.
To ensure accessibility for parents and those in wheelchairs, the treehouse will have wide ramps leading up to it. There will also be wide ramps leading up to the top landing of all playground equipment and play stations.
"The special ramps are what's going to make it versatile enough for adults with disabilities to be able to maneuver throughout the park and be a part of their children's play," Cheek said. "They wouldn't be able to climb on a [jungle] gym or go down a slide, but they can be up there with their children as they are playing."
In the park, visitors will also find a very small zipline and a wheelchair swing, which will allow parents to swing with their young ones.
Children who like to let loose will not have to worry about falling on gravel or wood chips; there will be a smooth safety surface blanketing the park, preventing injury and preserving accessibility for those in wheelchairs, said Cheek.
Throughout the park and treehouse, visitors will also find sensory stations that cater to the main five senses. While the sensory stimulation is beneficial for children with autism and Asperger's syndrome, it will also provide opportunities for all children to interact with the park, regardless of their disability. For example, Cheek explained, if a child is blind, he or she will still be able to play with the small, built-in musical instruments at an auditory station, or feel the formations at a tactile-specific station to imagine what they might be.
The city has already set aside land for the park, which will sit on Emerson Drive behind the Ringgold City Pool and Patriot Hall.
The custom-designed playground will cost an estimated $750,000 to build, planners said.
So far, the committee has raised $13,000, with two upcoming fundraisers planned to help bring the team a few steps closer to reaching its goal.
On May 7, playground advocates will host a Spirit Night at Moe's Southwest Grill in Fort Oglethorpe from 4-8 p.m., during which time a portion of all proceeds will go toward the project.
Then, on June 1, the team will host its inaugural womanless beauty pageant, "Hunks in Heels," during which several brave men will don formal dresses for the cause. Tickets and tables are already on sale.
Cheek said the goal is to raise the needed funds within the next three years so that families from Ringgold, Catoosa and the surrounding counties can have "true family time" free from electronic distractions. She also hopes to see the idea catch on within neighboring communities, leading to a larger push for inclusion.
To learn more about the project or upcoming events, connect with Crossroads Unity Family Park through Facebook.
Email Myron Madden at mmadden@timesfreepress.com.