MORGANTOWN — A years-long effort to build a fully inclusive, completely accessible, multi-generational playground in Mylan Park, near SteppingStones’ Miracle Field, just got a big push from Charleston.
Gov. Jim Justice on Monday announced the project has received $1.3 million.
“You deserve nothing but the best. You deserve a great place to play, laugh and create memories with your friends, and this playground is going to provide just that. We are bringing this project across the finish line, and I couldn’t be happier,” Justice said in the press release.
SteppingStones is a nonprofit organization that provides year-round recreation for children and adults with disabilities.
It partnered with Mylan Park in 2003 to open Miracle Field, one of the country’s first fully accessible baseball/softball diamonds.
This project will be structured similarly.
SteppingStones is doing the fundraising and grant-writing for the project while Mylan Park provided the land as well as future maintenance and all liability coverage.
Just like Miracle Field, the amenity will be owned by Mylan Park.
In 2019, just prior to the rise of COVID, the partners came forward with a plan to build another state-of-the-art recreational amenity — a playground that would allow everyone, regardless of age or physical ability, to play together.
Fast forward three years, a post-pandemic pitch to the Monongalia County Commission resulted in the body agreeing to match up to $300,000 as part of the fundraising effort.
SteppingStones Director Monica Marietta said the project was estimated to be about $2.3 million nine months ago, but updated estimates are in the works.
“We know that the cost of the equipment and installation has increased, and we will need to continue to raise more money, but we are confident that the vision that we started working on five years ago is going to happen and it’s continuing to develop right before our eyes,” Marietta said. “We anticipate a ribbon cutting in the spring 2025.”
