Cecil Page II, left, and Lisa Bremer of Project Sevier visit with Jordan Cates, a student at Trula Lawson Learning Center, during the groundbreaking Wednesday for an all-inclusive playground in Sevierville. It's a playground Jordan will be able to enjoy once completed. Photo by Jeff Farrell
SEVIERVILLE — A local group is asking for the public’s help in making sure that all children in Sevier County have at least one playground to enjoy. Project Sevier’s goal is to build a playground alongside LeConte Medical Center that would be accessible for children with special needs and disabilities. The planned location is a Sevierville greenway adjacent to the hospital campus, at the intersection of Millwood Drive and Middle Creek Road.
At a groundbreaking Wednesday, Project Sevier officials said they wanted to make sure that kids with disabilities had at least one place in the county where they could play alongside friends and family. Right now, no public playground in Sevier County is designed to be fully handicap-accessible.
“This would be the first time kids will be able to swing that were never able to swing,” President Lisa Bremer said. “It could be the first time they have an outdoor party with their friends where all kids get to participate.”
The playground was the brainchild of a group from Leadership Tomorrow, an organization that helps the county’s aspiring leaders learn about local government and nonprofit programs and encourages them to become more involved in their community. As part of the course, participants break into smaller groups to complete a community service project, and Bremer and her group hit upon the idea of a building the playground.
They obtained the land from the City of Sevierville, and formed Project Sevier as a nonprofit agency to collect donations to pay for it. They estimate the type of park they’re planning will cost about $100,000.
A class from Trula Lawson Early Childhood Center was ready to play on the playground when they saw an artist’s concept — questions like “Are we going to play on it?” came up more than once.
They couldn’t, of course, on Wednesday but after Project Sevier collects the money they’ll get a chance to pick among competing designs. Bremer said they will ask for designs based on specifications including the need to be fully accessible, the theme of honoring emergency responders and the size of the property. Once the designs are returned, they plan on letting the kids take part in selecting the design.
After all, officials said, the idea is to build a playground they’ll all enjoy.
.Imagine being in a park and sitting in a chair watching your brothers and sisters being able to swing and play ball while you just have to sit here,” Vice President Cecil Page II said. “We want to make this (playground) a reality so they won’t have to do that anymore. They’ll be just as incorporated as their family and friends.”
Donations can be mailed to Project Sevier Inc.; P.O. Box 4863; Sevierville, TN 37862. For more information, call 368-5455 or visit projectsevier.blogspot.com.
n jfarrell@themountainpress.com
