Hoover breaks ground for inclusive playground, splash pad at Met Complex

The city of Hoover this morning held a groundbreaking ceremony for its planned $2 million Explore playground and splash pad at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex.

The 15,000-square-foot playground and 7,000-square-foot splash pad will have a universal design, meaning they will be designed to meet the needs of all people, including those with disabilities and mobility issues.

The playground will include a clubhouse, active and musical play areas, a variety of swings and slides, textures, bright colors, sensory components for people with sight and hearing impairments and a TV display to encourage seek-and-find activities throughout the playground.

The splash pad will be right next to the playground, and will be fully inclusive so everyone can have access to the water features.

Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato said the play areas were designed so that children with disabilities and mobility issues can play side by side with other children. Parents and other caregivers with disabilities and mobility issues also will be able to play alongside their children, he said. A specially-outfitted family restroom will be in the same vicinity.

Previous city leaders already had planned a playground at the Hoover Met Complex that would be accessible to people with mobility issues. But Dustin Chandler, a Hoover parent who has a daughter with a disability, encouraged the mayor to go beyond the norm and seek input from organizations that specialize in disabilities to design something even more inclusive.

Brocato brought Dee Nance, a Hoover parks and recreation superintendent with a degree in therapeutic recreation, onto his staff as a community service officer and asked her to take on this project and shepherd it to completion. She traveled the Southeast, visiting different organizations that specialize in disabilities, and talked with Birmingham area groups as well, to come up with a better design.

However, as a result, the cost of the project mushroomed from about $1 million to $2 million, so more money had to be found, Brocato said. Nance got busy with fundraising and “money just started pouring in,” he said.

State legislators, county commissioners, businesses and foundations have made generous donations to make this project a reality, Brocato said.

Donors participating include the Alabama Power Foundation, Barber Companies, Jefferson County Commissioner David Carrington, the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, state Rep. David Faulkner, the Hoover Parks and Recreation Foundation, Iberia Bank, Jefferson County Commission, state Rep. Arnold Mooney, state Sen. Greg Reed, Regions Bank, The Caring Foundation of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, The Thompson Foundation, state Sen. Jabo Waggoner, state Sen. Cam Ward and state Rep. Jack Williams.

So far, $1.87 million has been raised, so only about $130,000 more is needed to achieve full funding, City Administrator Allan Rice said.

Waggoner said state legislators are honored to be able to partner with this project, which he thinks will be a model for the nation. “We are building dreams today for our children — dreams that are full of hope and positive engagement,” he said. “This is a proud day for Hoover and the entire state of Alabama.”

Rice said he believes the playground and splash pad will be extremely popular. A post about the groundbreaking the city shared on Facebook this week has been shared widely and seen by more than 50,000 people, Rice said. One mother who lives three hours away shared about her excitement and plans to use it in the future, he said.

Jeannie Colquett, executive director of The Bell Center, which serves children up to age 3 who are at risk for developmental delays, said she’s not shocked that people would consider driving three hours for this.

“We see that all the time,” she said. “People, families, parents will do whatever it takes. When they find something that works for their children, they will make the sacrifice. They will be here for sure.”

As a parent of a young adult with special needs, she can say that “all we ever want is for our children to have a place in the community, for them to have the opportunity to play with typically developing children, to make friends, to be on the playground and just be a part of things,” she said. “Thank you so much for putting together this amazing playground.”

Mary Allison Cook, a Hoover resident who is communications coordinator for the Lakeshore Foundation and who uses a wheelchair, thanked Nance for her vision and Hoover city leaders for their support of inclusive spaces in the community.

Because she uses a wheelchair, she has to do extra planning than most people for daily life activities, and becoming a mother 17 months ago added to the challenges she faces, she said.

This inclusive playground and splash pad will allow her to suggest new play date locations so everyone can be involved, she said. “We cannot wait until this park opens.”

Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens said this project is a perfect example of communication, cooperation and coordination among elected officials and he’s committed to making sure it has the funds to come to fruition.

“I don’t think you built it big enough,” Stephens said. “I hope there’s room for expansion, and if there is, you have our continued commitment to work with you to make sure that happens.”

Hoover officials said the goal is to have the playground and splash pad completed by December or January, when the rest of the Hoover Metropolitan Complex is completed.

The playground components are being manufactured by Gametime, a company based in Fort Payne. J.A. Dawson is serving as the project manager.