Plans for the Lake Reba Handicap Accessible Playground are progressing and new fundraising events have begun to help fund the project that is expected to cost about $100,000.
The playground has been an evolving idea for the past three years, said Richmond City Manager David Evans.
The Richmond City Commission recently applied for several grants, but has not received any information in response, Evans said.
The playground is something that has been needed in the Richmond area for a long time, said Jon McChesney, Richmond Civitan Club president and associate professor and graduate director for Eastern Kentucky University’s Department of Recreation and Park Administration.
“There’s 10,000 (handicapped) kids in central Kentucky, and in Madison County, there’s about 2,300,” McChesney said. “The playground is going to be fully integrated. We forget too often that there are adults and veterans with disabilities. This is not a playground that excludes able-bodied kids. It lets them play together.”
The Richmond Civitan Club has contributed to the project by hosting several fundraising events in the past, and are planning more in the future.
The playground will be funded by the City of Richmond ($75,000), the Richmond Civitan Club and outside donations. The playground will need a special surface, rather than mulch that is used for most playgrounds. The rubber/mesh material is expected to cost about $40,000, said Erin Moore, assistant director for the Richmond Parks and Recreation Department.
The group will host a “Doggie Wash” from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, at Irvine McDowell Park, and a fundraising drive for park sponsors recently has begun.
The names of sponsors will be included on the park’s sign.
There are four levels of sponsorship, which are tax-free donations:
• Bronze, individual sponsor or “In Memory Of,” $100; church/non-profit, $250; business sponsor, $500;
• Silver, individual sponsor or “In Memory Of,” $250; church/non-profit, $500; business sponsor, $1,000;
• Gold, individual sponsor or “In Memory Of,” $500; church/non-profit, $1,000; business sponsor, $1,500; • Platinum, individual sponsor or “In Memory Of,” $1,000; church/non-profit, $5,000; business sponsor, $7,500.
Checks can be made payable to the Richmond Civitan Club and mailed to: Dr. Jon McChesney, 105 Mildred Court, Richmond, 40475.
Call McChesney at 622-1835 for more information.
Constructing the handicap accessible playground is just one of the steps being taken to provide more park services to Richmond and Madison County residents.
A 15-question survey that is to help the planning of future parks and recreational facilities is now available online at www.parks.richmond.ky.us. or www.richmond.ky.us. A hard copy of the survey can be picked up at the Richmond Parks and Recreation Department located at 321 N. Second St.
The data from this survey will be used to create a Parks & Recreation Master Plan for the city.
The survey’s questions were the result of several different meetings of the Richmond Parks and Recreation Board, the city Parks Board and studying master plans of comparable communities.
More than 400 people already have completed the survey, McChesney said.
There will be a public forum at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 22, at First Christian Church at Lancaster Avenue and West Main Street.
There will be hard copies of the survey available for those who are not comfortable with filling the survey out online.
Another public forum is being planned that will focus more on what senior citizens want out of the city’s parks system, McChesney said. However, a date, time and location have yet to be determined.
All surveys must be completed by July 31.
Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234.
Local News
Working closer to playtime
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Friday at library : Lecturer to portray founder of Berea
John G. Fee, abolitionist and founder of both Berea and Berea College, will be portrayed Friday night by performer Obadiah Ewing-Roush as part of Kentucky Humanities Council Chautauqua performance series at the Madison County Public Library. There is no charge to attend the 7 p.m. event.
As the son of a slave-holding father, Fee witnessed firsthand the benefits of having slaves and the profits that could be made from their labor. When he graduated from college and enrolled in Lane Theological Seminary, he began to understand the inherent wrong and destructiveness of slavery. -
Berea woman dies Tuesday in Laurel County crash
A Berea woman, Tommie Johnson, 60, died Tuesday evening in a Laurel County crash, according to the the Laurel Sheriff’s Office.
The accident took place about 7 p.m. at the junction of Maple Grove Road and KY 363 south of London, as Johnson was attempting to turn onto the state highway.
Laurel County Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore said Johnson’s Chevrolet Cavalier pulled out in front of a Dodge Durango driven by Charles Joseph, 19, that was traveling south on KY 363.
After being extricated from her vehicle, Johnson was transported to St. Joseph-London hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Joseph also was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries, according to the accident report. -
Finally February
Ian Rosser, an Eastern Kentucky University student from Lexington, clears snow from his car parked on campus Wednesday
morning after about an inch of snow fell in Richmond. Temperatures are forcast to be in the upper 40s today. Kentucky has seen a lot of rain in the past few months, as was predicted by the Farmer's Almanac, but very little snow has fallen. -
Volunteers needed for equine therapy
The Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center will be hosting two, one-day volunteer training workshops for those interested in helping others with special needs.
The volunteer orientation days will be Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., but only one day of training is required, according to Mark Martin who co-owns Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center (AFTEC) with his wife Cheryl.
The all-volunteer organization, which is based in Jackson County, uses horses to help humans deal with physical and emotional challenges. -
Man accused of holding samurai sword to girlfriend’s throat
A Madison grand jury will hear the case of a man accused of threatening to cut his girlfriend’s head off, and attacking her father with a samurai sword.
Russell M. Masters, 42, of Richmond, is charged with two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, which is a Class D felony, and fourth-degree assault (domestic violence with minor injury) and resisting arrest, which both are Class A misdemeanors. Masters could receive one to five years in prison on each wanton endangerment charge, and the misdemeanors both carry a maximum sentence of one year in jail. -
Arrest made in connection with stolen jewelry, computer
Richmond police have made an arrest in connection with property stolen from two homes last fall.
A woman reported to police Monday that she had discovered several items that were missing from her home on South Killarney Drive and her grandmother’s home on Raintree Drive, according to Richmond Police Chief Larry Brock. The items were a set of gold hoop earrings, a white Sony Vaio laptop, a yellow gold heart pendant, a gold tennis bracelet and a ladies’ wedding band with a diamond setting.
The complainant said the belongings had gone missing sometime between August and October. -
US 25 business owners scared of five-lane plan
Voices of Berea business owners upset about upcoming construction on US 25 will be taken to the state level, according to city administrator Randy Stone.
Several people operating businesses along a section of US 25 gave comments Tuesday to the Berea City Council, asking them reconsider plans to widen the road to five lanes.
The design is a five-lane highway with a center turn lane and a 10-foot shared use path on one side and a 5-foot sidewalk on the other side. -
Grand jury to hear copper theft case
The attorney for a man accused of stealing copper from a handful of electric poles questioned his identification as the same person who took copper from 32 poles two days earlier.
Public defender Meena Mohanty questioned Richmond police officer Nicholas Duvall during a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Madison District Court. Her client, Jeffrey W. Nester, 46, of Fourth Street, was arrested in connection with a Jan. 23 copper theft. He is charged with second-degree criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking, possession of burglary tools and failure to notify address change to the Department of Transportation. These charges are all misdemeanors that, at most, carry a sentence of one year in prison. -
Judge weighs constitutionality of legislative redistricting
Kentucky’s deadline for filing to run for legislative seats was in flux on Monday because a judge did not immediately rule on a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of newly redrawn district boundaries.
Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd said he expects to enter a ruling in the case by mid-week.
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Couple recovering from injuries suffered in weekend house fire
A couple was hospitalized after their home was set ablaze Sunday by a spark from a cigar, according to a county fire official.
County Fire Chief Jim Cox said the city and county fire departments were called to the home at 111 Concord Road in the early afternoon. Waco Volunteer Fire Department and the Richmond Fire Department also responded.
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