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Residents and advocates urge Pensacola to reconsider Tippin Park playground plan to better serve children with disabilities
Summary
Public commenter Sherry Myers, a former District 2 council representative and ADA coordinator, told the Parks and Recreation Board the proposed Tippin Park equipment is not what she envisioned for a special-needs playground and urged the city to pause the purchase and gather more community input.
Sherry Myers, a long-time disability-access advocate and former District 2 city council representative, urged the Pensacola Parks and Recreation Board on Oct. 21 to stop the planned purchase of playground equipment at Tippin Park and to redesign the space to better serve children with a wide range of disabilities.
Myers said she spent 15 years working on accessibility projects and that earlier plans for Tippin Park included a special-needs playground and a community center. "I wrote that project," she said during the board's open forum, and later added about the current proposal: "That design is not for children with disabilities." Myers also told the board she believed $1,000,000 in LOST funds had been set aside as seed money for a community center that did not materialize.
Board members and staff acknowledged the concern and agreed to pursue more information before finalizing a purchase. Interim Parks and Recreation director Carrie Shannagan told the board the Tippin Park work is funded through the city's Direction 25 program and noted the project budget within that program; she also said staff could cancel the purchase if the board wanted to start over. "If we need to start over, we'll start over, from scratch on this project," she said, adding that staff would take Myers' contacts and recommendations into account.
The board discussed differences between a broadly "inclusive" playground and equipment intentionally designed to serve specific disabilities such as sensory needs for children who are deaf or autistic. Members and staff agreed on the need for additional engagement with local specialists and potential partners, including Westgate School, Sacred Heart and community leaders Myers named, before proceeding.
Board members and staff also flagged procurement timing: staff reported a vendor discount on the equipment would expire the day of the meeting, raising a choice between pausing the order to gather more input or proceeding to preserve the discount. After discussion, staff said they would consult the mayor and city administrator about placing the purchase on hold and would follow up with Myers to collect contact information and next steps.
What's next: Staff committed to returning with additional investigation and options. The board did not take a formal vote to cancel the purchase at the meeting.
Sources: Public comment and staff statements at the Oct. 21 Parks and Recreation Board meeting.
