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Newburgh breaks ground on inclusive playground at Lou Dennis Community Park
Summary
Town of Newburgh officials and community donors broke ground June 19 on a new, fully accessible playground at Lou Dennis Community Park, funded by a $1 million Ready Grant and $375,000 raised by Park Pals and private donors; completion is expected later this summer.
Town of Newburgh officials, community volunteers and regional partners on June 19 broke ground on a redesigned playground at Lou Dennis Community Park that town leaders say will be accessible to children of all abilities.
"My name's Chris Cook. I'm the town administrative manager for the Town of Newburgh and I would like to welcome everyone today," said Chris Cook at the start of the ceremony, which brought together town council members, the parks board, Park Pals volunteers and regional funders.
Town Council member and parks board liaison Dr. Paul Perry said the project reflects years of planning and partnership and praised the combination of public and private support that made the day possible. "This project came together through the town council, town administration, Warwick County Economic Development, the state and the Ready Grant," Perry said.
Mary Ann Willsbacher, president of the Parks Board, reviewed the park's recent history and the safety-driven decision to remove the old "Fortress of Fun" after professional inspections showed "significant deterioration" and rotting load-bearing poles. Willsbacher made accessibility the central goal: "Turf instead of mulch and accessible equipment will now allow [children who use wheelchairs] to play," she said.
Joe Kohn, representing Park Pals, the nonprofit fundraising partner, said Park Pals raised $375,000 in private gifts and grants to support the playground and summarized major donations that unlocked project funding, including an anonymous foundation gift of $40,000, $20,000 from the Kiwanis Club of Historic Newburgh, a $100,000 matching grant from Bob Griffin, a $75,000 Lilly Endowment grant, $30,000 from the David and Mary Heisler family, $20,000 from CenterPoint Energy, a $10,000 Warwick Community Foundation Community Good Grant and contributions from 86 individuals totaling $80,000.
Ashley Deckman, River Vision director for E-REP, described the Ready 2.0 funding that provided a $1 million Ready Grant for the project and said such regional investments are intended to strengthen quality of life and local economies along the Ohio River corridor.
Jenny Cash, director of business development at Midstates Recreation, the contractor selected to design and supply the playground equipment, described design priorities, saying the equipment will prioritize inclusion and accessibility and that "about 47% of the structures" will be accessible.
An event speaker identifying themselves as the town manager said construction is expected to finish later this summer, weather permitting, and encouraged residents to view renderings and donate through the town's 501(c)(3) partners via a QR code on site. Officials and partners then performed a ceremonial shovel-turn to mark the start of construction.
The town characterized the project as a combination of state grant funding, private donations and local approvals; no council vote or ordinance was taken at the ceremony. The town said it will post construction updates and photos on the Park Pals and Town of Newburgh Facebook pages and on participating partners' websites.
