LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
Crestwood School is taking a significant step toward creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all students with the launch of a new, fully accessible playground—an initiative that combines infrastructure upgrades with a deeply rooted mission of equity, community and play.
The school’s new playground, which will be one of only two accessible playgrounds in the city of Paris, is designed to meet the needs of differently abled and wheelchair bound children by removing physical barriers to outdoor recreation. Through the addition of specialized equipment and safety surfacing, staff and organizers at Crestwood are aiming to create a space where children of all abilities can play side-by-side by the end of this summer.
The playground’s new layout includes a sway swing with a ramp for children in wheelchairs, an inclusive swing that allows students of varying abilities to swing together and expanded play structures like monkey bars and climbing elements that were specifically requested by students.
“We’re doing things not only for children with differing abilities, but for all of them,” Kindergarten teacher Laura Pitts said. “This is about making sure everyone gets to play together, it is about including everyone.”
The careful equipment choices also come with a hefty price tag, totaling more than $750,000.
“If we were not adding the flooring, then Crestwood would be covering the whole price of the project,” teacher Jayme Rollings said. “The flooring, however, is really important—it allows all kids of all abilities to play, and to play together.”
That flooring—specialized rubber surfacing designed to support mobility devices like wheelchairs and walkers—comes with a high cost. The surfacing alone carries a price tag of over $300,000, surpassing the total expense of the new playground equipment itself.
Due to the high fee, the school’s playground project has become a collaborative effort between the school and its Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO), which has taken on the challenge of raising the necessary funds for the flooring and organizing volunteers to assist with the construction.
“The school is covering a large portion of the cost,” Superintendent Danette Young explained. “We have asked the PTO for help with the extra funds and gathering volunteers.”
Since joining the project, the group of parents and teachers has committed to raising funds in multiple ways. Several fundraisers are already underway or scheduled, including:
νA drink stand at the Edgar County Fairgrounds during fair week
νA pork burger drive-thru at the school on Aug. 12
νA McDonald’s McEvent Night on Sept. 9
νFannie May candy sales in October
νA meat sale in January
νPopcorn and cookie fundraiser in February
Donations are also accepted year-round through the school and a special account at Prospect Bank, managed by the Edgar County Community Foundation. Business sponsors, family donors and local civic organizations have already begun contributing as well.
“We know it’s a lot,” said Marisa Sunkel, a PTO member and the parent of a student who will directly benefit from the project. “But when you think about what it’s giving—kids being able to laugh, smile and move freely with their friends—it’s worth every bit.”
“I think it is really important that the community understands what we are doing and why we are taking on such a large sum and a large project,” Sunkel added. “It is really important to us that we have something for everyone. We want every kid to be able to play, and to do so safely.”
Renovations on the school’s old playground are scheduled to begin the week of July 14, and volunteers will be key to ensuring the project stays on track. The PTO has put out a call for 20 to 30 volunteers each day during installation week and are still looking for additional hands.
Individuals who are interested in volunteering during the scheduled demolition and initial installation phases can reach out to the PTO via the Crestwood Eagles PTO Facebook page for additional information, including a sign-up form.
The timeline for the project is tight, but if construction stays on schedule, the new playground, and its special flooring, will be open in time for the first day of school in August.
For the staff, Sunkel and other parents, the project represents more than just playground upgrades. It’s about dignity, inclusion and joy.
“My daughter is going to benefit directly from this. She gets so happy when she’s around her friends,” Sunkel said. “I can only imagine how this kind of stuff is going to make other kids feel—just being able to relax a little bit and smile. These kids are actually going to get to play together without their nurses or paras struggling to get them to the play structures and without the kids looking at the teacher and saying, ‘Well, why can’t my friend go do this with me?’”
For more information on how to volunteer or donate, visit the Crestwood Eagles PTO Facebook page or contact the school office directly.