Children play at the new Connected Playground at Ingle Park, while adults tour the new facility. (W.C. Mann for The Tribune)
CULLMAN – Years of planning, fundraising and hard work were celebrated Friday evening with the official opening of the Connected Playground at Ingle Park. Cullman Parks, Recreation, & Sports Tourism (CP&R) kicked off the weekend by introducing the public to the new and improved park, which sits adjacent to the Field of Miracles.
The renovated park features what the city is calling the Connected Playground, a handicap-accessible play space with features by Texas-based KOMPAN, designed to allow children of all levels of physical ability to play side by side.
While renovations were underway, CP&R Executive Director Nathan Anderson told The Tribune, “Looking at what happened with Field of Miracles, placing the Miracle Field amongst the other tournament regulation fields, having that inclusion has just been a beautiful thing. So that got us thinking: let’s do this with a playground; let’s include accessible play features in ordinary play features that you would see at any playground.
“So when you approach this playground–and we’re calling it the Connected Playground because we’re connecting kids of all abilities through play–you’re going to see play features that fit the person, whoever’s looking at it. A kid who has no physical restrictions is going to be challenged and love this playground, and you will have a child that rolls up in a wheelchair and will have items on the same play features that they can play on. And that was by design; we wanted it to be something that siblings of different physical abilities could play together on the same playground at the same time, both being challenged and enjoying it the same.”
The park also includes:
–Four courts for pickleball, a fast-growing small-court sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis
–Two foursquare courts
–Full-size basketball court with professional grade dunkable rims
–Concrete sidewalks designed and built to flow with the terrain of the park, making a quarter mile loop around the park
–Shaded pavilion with restrooms, water fountains/bottle fill stations, and a large fan to create air circulation in the sitting/picnic area
–Plenty of open green spaces
At Friday’s grand opening, Anderson said, “This is a four-year project all coming to a close here, that we have worked diligently, from the planning and design to raising money, to the construction, and it’s just a big moment for Cullman to have such a beautiful park in our community.
“The only thing we’re not quite finished with yet are a few little finishing touches on the landscaping, and the basketball court will be completely finished next week; everything is open.”
Long-term plans include a butterfly garden, shaded dog park along the east side of the park and a walking trail that will connect Ingle Park, Field of Miracles, the Wellness and Aquatic Center and Heritage Park.
Anderson commended the Cullman community, Mayor Woody Jacobs and the city council for their support, along with the fundraising efforts of the CP&R Foundation Board and Park Board, street department and numerous project donors.
Jacobs smiled, “I’m just glad that this day’s finally here. Months and months, and years, really, of planning, a lot of work. It’s amazing how many people have contributed to the park, not only work-wise (but also) financial-wise. And it’s all coming together today. I think this is the most innovative park in the state of Alabama at this moment, but people will be traveling here to see how we did it. And there’ll be others like it.”
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