County parks department seeks funding for new equipment

Families from across the county and elsewhere stream into the Center Grove area park to take advantage of special playground equipment that is accessible to children with disabilities.

The playground equipment at Independence Park is specifically built with touches meant to be used by children who have various special needs.

Studies from Johnson County Parks and Recreation officials of the park at 2100 S. Morgantown Road, show that the park averages 115 to 150 visitors daily, said Megan Bowman, Johnson County Parks Superintendent.

Independence Park was built in 2000 with the specification that it would have equipment that makes it possible for children who have disabilities and special needs to use the equipment. The park is billed as the state’s first all-accessible playground.

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Lots of use of the playground equipment coupled with the equipment’s age has made replacing the playground equipment at the only public park in White River Township a top priority for the department, Bowman said.

“It is heavily used and well loved, it is just time for an upgrade," she said.

A whole new playground is expected to cost $335,188. So far, they have raised and budgeted about $140,189 for the project, Bowman said.

The playground equipment at Independence Park has been on their radar for replacement for years. About a year and a half ago, the need to update the equipment became more urgent as it became obvious the playground equipment is deteriorating rapidly, Bowman said.

“We know it is getting used quite a bit, and that is a good thing," she said. "We need to be able to provide a playground that can withstand that use."

Park officials worked with Midstates Recreation to design what the new playground equipment would look like. The more than $300,000 price tag comes with multiple pieces that will make the park even more accessible to children who have special needs.

"We wanted nice stuff, but within reason," Bowman said.

The park will feature a glider that can be reached by a ramp for wheel-chair accessibility, a slide that has a preparation area to give someone with a disability more time to get positioned to use the slide and a ground-level spinner, which is similar to a Merry Go Round, but does not need to be stepped up onto.

Now the parks department has to find and raise the rest of the money to replace the equipment and preserve the accessibility experience for families.

"We are kind of applying and raising funds any way we can for this project. It is to the point it needs to happen and I believe it can," Bowman said.

The parks department recently received a $24,438 grant from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation National Paralysis Resource Center. The county’s Board of Commissioners recently gave the parks department permission to apply for more grants from the Branigin Foundation, Walmart and Duke Energy.

Department leaders have also filed for other countless grants, asked for donations at free events they’ve hosted, including a recent Dine to Donate event at Chick-fil-A that raised a little more than $100. A movie night fundraiser is planned this fall.

Allocating all the funds from the park’s budget is not an option.

Johnson County Parks and Recreation maintains Johnson County Park, a 622-acre park in southern Johnson County near Edinburgh and Independence Park in White River Township. 

The parks department’s budget is about $1 million a year, about half of which comes from county tax dollars, the food and beverage tax, and the other half is generated by park use, such as campsite and shelter rental fees, Bowman said.

Most of the department’s money goes toward maintaining Johnson County Park, which has aging buildings and is expensive to maintain.

“It is a large piece of property that takes a lot of maintenance," Bowman said.

Independence Park was built with donations and support of dozens of companies with the idea that it would be accessible. The new equipment fits into that vision, Bowman said.

"It is what makes us special," she said. "And it was the driving force behind this whole park."

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What: Movie night to raise money for new playground equipment at Independence Park. 

When: IS THERE A TIME? Oct. 14

Where: Canary Creek Drive-In, 870 Mallory Parkway, Franklin.

The movie has not been determined. A portion of the proceeds will go toward purchase of the equipment.

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The Johnson County Parks Department is raising money for new playground equipment at Independence Park in White River Township.

The equipment is expected to cost $335,188. The park has raised about $140,189 to put toward the project.

The equipment will be accessible to children with disabilities.

To donate to the project, you can make a credit card payment online by visiting: www.jccf.org/johnson-county-parks-fund, clicking "donate," "existing fund," and then "Johnson County Parks Fund."

Payments can also be mailed directly to the parks department at P.O. Box 246 Franklin, IN 46131.

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