Miracle League seeks $125,000 from Cottage Grove for inclusive Bakken Park playground

Miracle League of Dane County representatives asked the Village of Cottage Grove on Monday to support a $1.5 million project to replace the playground at Bakken Park with a fully accessible, all‑ages play area and requested the village consider a $125,000 matching contribution to kickstart fundraising.

The project’s proponents said the design would remove raised borders, provide poured‑in‑place surfacing, accessible towers and ramps, and play components that allow parallel play for children with and without disabilities. Bill Schultz, speaking for the Miracle League of Dane County, said the playground would allow “these children to feel included and accepted” and described fundraising plans that rely on foundations, corporations and individual donors. Kyla Raymond, representing the playground manufacturer/distributor, said “everything is gonna be at grade” and described surfacing and equipment features intended to improve access for mobility‑device users and families with very young children.

Why it matters: Miracle League officials and several trustees said the current Bakken Park playground limits access for children with disabilities and that an inclusive replacement would extend benefits to all families who use the park and nearby ball fields. The speakers noted the project also creates fundraising and grant‑writing opportunities for the village and local nonprofit partners.

Details: The presenters described a turnkey cost of about $1,500,000, with roughly $1,350,000 for equipment, surfacing and certified installation and the remainder for site work and removal of the existing playground. The Miracle League’s stated schedule calls for placing an equipment order by July 1 to secure delivery by year‑end; the payment schedule described in the presentation included staged payments (a down payment, a pre‑shipment payment, and a final payment after shipping). The Miracle League asked the village to consider a $125,000 match to help reach early fundraising thresholds.

Trustees and staff raised follow‑up issues including parking capacity at Bakken Park (staff estimated roughly 30 stalls in the lot, with additional street parking used during events), ongoing maintenance responsibility (staff indicated the village would maintain the new surface and equipment and that the surfacing is easier to keep than wood chips), and donor recognition (panels and plaques were proposed to preserve existing donor acknowledgement). Trustees also noted the existing Bakken playground was built about 2009 with substantial volunteer involvement and remains in good condition; staff said the playground is not currently scheduled for replacement in the next 10 years but that a like‑for‑like replacement today could cost roughly $1 million.

What the board asked staff to do: Trustees gave staff direction to pursue possible funding sources and return with options. The board discussed asking Amazon to reallocate an existing $150,000 pledge (whose current restriction staff said may limit use to youth/technology), exploring county or foundation grants, and identifying how park‑development or capital funds could participate. Trustees did not take a formal vote on a village contribution at the meeting; instead, staff were asked to report back with specific financing options, donor recognition plans, and maintenance implications before the board considers a funding commitment.

Next steps: Miracle League and village staff will continue fundraising and coordination. The Miracle League said it will seek lead gifts and corporate support while staff will prepare costs and funding options for a future meeting.