Billy Brame was happy about the Fisher Park playground build on Saturday.
“It means we have a place for my daughter to play,” Brame said.
He lives close to Fisher Park, 3800 Fisher St., in the Rosedale area of Kansas City, Kansas.
A few years ago, the slide broke at the playground and since then, there was nowhere for his daughter to play, he said.
“Then we got a grant going,” Brame said. Neighbors contacted the Rosedale Development Association for help to repair the playground. A partnership developed with the neighborhood, the UG and RDA. Some grants were received to fund the project.
Participating in the selection process, about 100 children and 44 adults in the neighborhood chose from five different designs for the playground, and most selected a design by ABCCreative.
On Saturday, Nov. 3, the residents saw the results of their efforts.
“It’s really exciting for our community,” said Alissa Workman, RDA development and events coordinator.
She said about 40 people attended the playground build on Saturday, including mostly volunteers, with about 15 parks and recreation staff members. Those attending included UG Parks and Recreation staff, including director Jeremy Rogers, volunteers from neighborhood families, Rosedale Development Association volunteers, youth volunteers from the India Association of Kansas City, and the Gunter Construction team.
The new playground will have areas that accommodate children with mobility and sensory issues.
Workman said three grants were received for the project, including a large grant for redeveloping the park’s play space from the Meet Me at the Park grant program, a part of the National Recreation and Park Association and Disney Place group. It was a collaborative project, with in-kind donations and grants from Wyandotte County Parks Foundation, the Neighborhood Rising Fund, and the Rosedale Development Association.
