Wake Forest opens 1.5 million dollar inclusive playground
The Holding Park Inclusive Playground was designed for children of all abilities with wheelchair-accessible entrances, rides and slides and a mix of sensory-rich play experiences.
The playground is located at 133 W. Owen Ave. Construction began in June 2023.
At an estimated cost of $1M, the playground project is supported by a U.S. Treasury grant to the Town of Wake Forest as part of the American Rescue Plan/Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Award, totaling $14.5M.
Stephanie Kung, a Raleigh local, makes the 40-minute drive once a week to Holding Park so her daughter can have an experience like every other kid in the community.
“Your typical playground often doesn’t have ramp access, and my daughter relies on the use of mobility aid, so there are a lot of physical barriers that people don’t realize are excluding,” Kung said.
Ruben Wall, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources director for the Town of Wake Forest says that when COVID-19 happened, the need for an inclusive playground became more apparent.
“When COVID-19 happened, kids could only play outside, so we held virtual meetings, and town halls about how parents envisioned an inclusive playground,” Wall said.
“The playground includes double-wide ramps to accommodate children using mobility devices, and an inclusive Orbit Spinner is a zero-entry merry-go-round that is also wheelchair accessible.”
The playground also has features included for families who are Spanish-speaking, and communication boards are set up throughout the playground that have Spanish and English communication prompts.
“If you don’t have access you cannot have inclusion, so ensuring that public spaces are designed to be accessible is a pathway for people impacted by disabilities,” Kung concluded.
The park will be open from dawn until dusk seven days a week.
In addition to the playground, the five-acre Holding Park site also includes the Wake Forest Community House, Holding Park Aquatic Center, picnic tables, grills, and a basketball court.
Dasia Williams has a deep-rooted passion for local news and accountability reporting. Currently, she serves as the culture and community reporter for The A&T Register, where she strives to cover stories that resonate with our readers and reflect the diversity of our community.
She also works as an anchor for Aggie News, where she delivers timely and important updates to her viewers with clarity and professionalism.
In addition to these roles, she is an investigative higher education reporter for Open Campus Media. In this capacity, She delves into the complexities of higher education, seeking to uncover truths and shed light on issues that impact HBCU students and communities.
