Board of DD adds new elements to community playground area

One of Holmes County’s better kept secrets keeps getting bigger and better, and the hope is it will be a secret no more.

On Friday, July 28, the Holmes County Board of Developmental Disabilities celebrated a dedication of its newest addition to the growing playground area on the north side of the building, gathering with employees, friends and neighbors who helped make the playground extension a reality.

The idea of adding a second area to the playground was something former BDD Principal Rhoda Mast had before retiring. She said as her gift to the center, she would like to do the fundraising and get out into the community to drum up support of the $130,000 addition.

True to her word, Mast found plenty of people willing to give to the project and paved the way for the project to take shape.

“This was her parting gift to us,” said Marianne Mader, HCBDD superintendent. “She did all the work and made a point of trying to not use the same people that donated to the other playground.”

With the old playground having outlived its usefulness, the HCBDD tore down the aging portion of the playground, moved some dirt and created a sloping hill that will be a grassy area.

Mader said the new equipment doesn’t have the same handicap accessibility as does the former addition that was designed specifically with children with disabilities in mind. However, there are several of the pieces of equipment that can be used by those with disabilities.

The new HCBDD Early Childhood Playground presents a different type of play area that centers around younger children, rather than providing handicapped-accessible equipment.

According to Mader, the idea with the addition was to create a more comprehensive playground area that would suit the entire community.

In dedicating the new play area, Mader was overflowing with gratitude for a community that continues to invest in everything the BDD is doing.

“I’m always — underlined, capitalized, exclamation point — amazed by Holmes County folks and business owners who continually come through to help their fellow citizens and the organizations that benefit the people of Holmes County,” Mader said. “The one thing we want to continue to reiterate is that this playground area is for the entire community and anyone who wants to use it. It is accessible 24/7 and presents a safe place for families to come and enjoy a day out.”

With the playground, a large grass area for outdoor games, a half-mile walking path and a pavilion with plenty of picnic tables, she said the playground area is perfect for outings, especially for families with younger children.

“With everything here, families can shoot hoops, ride bikes on the trail, walk, play in the play area and spend a day here just enjoying everything that is available to them,” Mader said.

She said the best way to enter the playground is to park on the west side of the building and walk around behind it to the playground.

Mader said Tri-County ESC, children in their preschool program and elementary school, and the early childhood program have already gotten strong usage out of the play area.

She said there are already talks of adding some additions to the area including a bocce ball court. In addition, the HCBDD is in the mix with the ongoing Appalachian grant funding that could eventually connect Holmes County Rails-to-Trails with the center, which would provide an easier route for Amish families in particular to go from the trail to the center.

Mader said the hope is one day that will happen, and they would like to create a sensory garden along the way with a variety of different plants with canopy and seating.

That is in the future. For now they will cherish the new playground addition and be grateful to the community for its never-ending support.

“This was a really neat addition to our facility, and again, our hope is that the people of the county and even beyond take advantage of everything here,” Mader said. “It’s a wonderful and free way to celebrate some family time. This is county property, and it all belongs to the county residents.”

A new sign will feature the many donors who made the playground possible. That list includes Alan and Elaine Hand, Darrick Hummel, Harvest Thrift Store, Holmes County Association for Handicapped Children, Holmes Conservation and Beagle Club, Holmes County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative, Hummel Group, Jon and Rhoda Mast, Karen Hummel Troyer, Keim, Kerry and Danell Taylor, Mennonite Mutual Insurance, Millersburg Eagles Aerie 2418, ProVia, Richard and Tammy Koser, Walnut Creek Planing, and anonymous donors.

Mader said one of the donors even provided labor to complete the project in addition to their monetary donation.