A new play area is coming to Wrightsville Beach Park which will be accessible to special needs children.
This inclusive playground, that replaces the current children’s area at the park, which is close to the town hall complex, is under construction.
Wrightsville Beach Recreation Program Supervisor Katie Ryan said they received a grant last October.
The Trillium grant stipulated that the playground has to be handicap accessible, which the town agrees to.
Many of the new slides will be the same as the old ones, more ramps are to be added allowing for increased accessibility to the equipment. The mulch that in the past formed the base of the playground will be replaced with a firmer rubber surface making it easier for wheelchairs and those with walkers.
Ryan said that the most exciting addition is a Liberty Swing, which is constructed for people in wheelchairs. This swing is to be fenced-off in an area that will be locked for safety concerns.
A system is being devised for those wanting to use it to be able to get access to a key through either a lockbox or some other way. Also keys are to be distributed to hotels in the area for their guests to use.
And for adults new fitness equipment such as ellipticals are also to be installed. The town currently offers fitness equipment near the basketball courts that is very popular but the town was seeking to add more.
The building of the playground is expected to take three weeks with the installation of the Liberty Swing taking an additional three weeks. During this period of construction, the play area at Wrightsville Beach Park will closed.
