Playground designed for all kids taking shape in Ocean Springs

April 9, 2018

There are over 900 children with disabilities in the Ocean Springs School District. That’s why Disability Connection and the City of Ocean Springs have teamed up to turn a popular park into a fully accessible playground, a place where all kids with all abilities can have fun.

Sixteen percent of children in the Ocean Springs School District have a disability and that’s the reason the Little Children’s Park is being transformed into a state of the art handicap accessible playground, a place where all kids can feel included. Disability Connection Executive Director Janie O’Keefe said, “Ocean Springs needed a place where kids with wheelchairs, kids with disabilities could participate with their families and their friends.”

Disability Connection and the City of Ocean Springs teamed up to start the project three years ago. With a $30,000 grant from Walt Disney and the National Recreation and Park Association the dreamed up playground is becoming a reality. “Whether it’s learning physical disability, intellectual disability, whatever, we need to provide everything that we do where it includes them,” said O’Keefe.

Volunteers from organizations all over the Coast were helping construction move along. Volunteer Chris Burch said, “A lot of physical labor today. We’re loading up mulch for all the different areas of the parks.”

“It feels pretty good to know that I’m helping the kids out. When I was younger I liked playing at the park.”

Ocean Springs Mayor Shea Dobson said, “That’s what makes our community the way it is. The residents really care about our city and we’re getting it done.”

The park is at the corner of Washington and Calhoun Street. Inside you’ll find structures specially designed for children with autism and equipment made wheelchair friendly. “We’ve added five new pieces of specifically disability friendly equipment. We have a zipline that’s going to be great for the whole Coast so everyone is going to want to come.”

The city will hold a grand opening ribbon cutting for the park on Friday, April 20^th at 10:30 a.m. “Somebody’s going to experience this with their family and it’s going to be special times at the park which is awesome,” said Birch.