By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
The City of Decatur now owns the South Ward and North Ward parks – and it’s for sure this time!
As plans were being made to convert South Ward into an all-inclusive playground, city officials discovered that North Adams Schools still owned the land on which the two parks are situated.
Years ago, school buildings were located on both sites.
After the buildings were eventually demolished, the Decatur school system – forerunner of North Adams – transferred the land to the city – except that somehow all the Xs and Os in the paperwork apparently were not filled in.
So there was no legal transfer … and the city has been maintaining for years parks that it did not own.
The ownership surprise came up at Decatur City Council’s July 21 meeting.
At the August 4 meeting, City Attorney Anne Razo informed council that the North Adams School Board has officially transferred the two areas to Decatur’s park board.
So the City of Decatur now owns what it thought it owned for many years!
GRANTED: The parks department is seeking grants to bolster conversion of the South Ward Park.
At last report, one grant has been secured and three others have been applied for.
One of the three is a matching grant for which community assistance will be sought to add the match, according to Parks Superintendent Cara Gerber..
“We are very excited for the opportunities this park will provide to our community…,” Gerber has said.
The park is designed to have a play structure for kids 2-5 years old and another for those 5-12.
Four different types of swings are planned.
Most items will be at wheelchair transfer height and sensory items will be included.
Plans call for the park to have turf, be fenced in, have rest rooms, a pavilion and a parking lot.
According to Wikipedia, inclusive playground design refers to the creation of play areas that are accessible, safe, and enjoyable for children of all ages and abilities.
This approach considers the diverse needs of children, including those with physical, sensory, cognitive, or emotional disabilities.
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