ROCCS Help with Little River Playground Build
June 11, 2024
ROCCS members Ambrose Savage, Karlee Hamaker, and Cal Martin are shown among the many boxes of equipment shipped in to build the Little River Lookout Community Playground. This huge project is being built June 10th through June 15th, with over 240 volunteer shifts filled to-date! The Grand Opening of the playground will be Sunday, June 30th, at 5:00pm. Families and attendees may bring a picnic lunch to enjoy after the Grand Opening.
The Little River Lookout Community Playground is the first inclusive playground in our area, with many features offering safe, outdoor play opportunities for children with disabilities to play alongside their peers. The Decatur County Conservation Board will oversee the playground. All funds raised for the project have been through individual donors, business donors, grants, fundraising, and in-kind contributions. Key features of the playground will include a tree house and boat to represent the recreation and nature themes of our area, a barn and tractor to demonstrate the positive influence agriculture has on our community and those surrounding, a double zip line (one featuring an inclusive swing), an inclusive orbit, custom made interactive learning panels, many swings and slides. The project is truly built around the community-- meeting the needs of the youth in our community, having the volunteers from the community help build the playground, and inviting visitors in to spark tourism in our local communities, as well. The company managing the project is Play by Design of Ithaca, New York, but the designer for the playground is from Iowa City!