MC announces plans for all-inclusive playground in Fedder's Alley

Washington Park in Michigan City is set be the home of a destination all-inclusive playground and fitness park.

At the Guy Foreman Bicentennial Amphitheater on Monday, city officials and residents heard details regarding a proposed $5 million project which will be located in Fedder’s Alley.

The event also kicked off a fundraising campaign for a fund to go in perpetuity to maintain the park.

The playground, according to Parks and Recreation Supt. Shannon Eason, would feature accessible equipment, sensory play areas and safe surfacing to ensure every child, regardless of ability, can participate in what she said was a crucial part of their development.

Eason explained the difference between ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant and All Inclusive, saying ADA laws only provide access to various facilities and nothing else.

“We went way beyond that. We want to provide facilities for people with all abilities, whether they have hearing, mobility, vision impairments. That’s what we tried to address,” Eason said.

“Play is a fundamental part of childhood. It’s a universal language that transcends all barriers. It fosters creativity, encourages social interaction and builds a foundation for lifelong friendships,” she added.

Eason said in many communities, including Michigan City, many children of differing abilities face challenges preventing them from what she said was an essential aspect of childhood. An all-inclusive playground, she said, would address that.

“Our facility was thoughtfully designed with one core principle in mind,” Eason said.

“Everyone, regardless of ability, should have the opportunity to play,” she added.

Play, she said, also teaches children the values of empathy, respect and understanding of others, as they learn on the playground to celebrate their differences and recognize each other’s strengths.

Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch thanked Eason, the city’s Park Board, various local officials as well as Common Council President Don Przybylinski. Nelson Deuitch said the initiative to build the playground started in 2021 as part of the Park Master Plan.

“This is a partnership from our Redevelopment Commission and also our City Council. Our last council actually approved funding for this park and so did the Redevelopment Commission,” Nelson Deuitch said.

“So, this is a labor of love from us to make sure that this happens. We also want to make sure that, as we move forward, that next year around this time we’re doing a ribbon cutting,” she added.

Funds, Nelson Deuitch said, came from the American Rescue Plan, RDC and the Common Council.

“… this project could not have happened without the support of the City Council and Redevelopment Commission, who have contributed a combined $2 million,” Nelson Deuitch said.

She said there is also a fund set up through the Unity Foundation that people can donate to for maintenance once the park has been built, with the goal of having it around forever.

“We just want to make sure that this park is like no other,” Nelson Deuitch said.

“So, we want to make sure we keep it in good shape if there’s ever any maintenance. We want to have a place where we can get the money,” she added.

Eason said they have sent two applications for grants, one grant for $1 million and another for $750,000 from both the Health Foundation of La Porte and the Lily Endowment Inc.’s Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT VIII).

They plan to know this month if they receive them and, if they do, they will seek private and corporate donations to cover the $350,000 gap to build it next year.

U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-1st., who secured $1 million in federal funding for the project, also spoke during the press conference.

Mrvan said this was not just celebrating a park but celebrating what it means to be all inclusive. According to Mrvan, this means every person of all abilities and ages can come and play.

The message it sends, he said, was the community prioritizes inclusivity, unity, pride and quality of life.

“This is one of those [projects] that’s worth fighting for, because not only does it bring everyone together and send a ripple effect throughout our community that we want to be welcoming of people with special needs, of all ages, but, we also want to be the leader in Northwest Indiana of quality-of-life and access to the lakefront,” Mrvan said.

Mrvan also noted the playground’s location near the Michigan City Senior Center, which he said would allow senior citizens to more easily access walking trails in the park.

“We have vision and we have welcoming approaches towards our projects. Let us go forward and give me more of these projects that are worth fighting for, that can help change people’s lives here in La Porte County,” Mrvan said.

“I am thankful for the leadership of Council President Don, Mayor Angie, Shannon and all of the community that came together to say that this is a priority and that we can work together and walk arm and arm and have an all-inclusive park that brings people together,” he said.

Przybylinski was unable to attend Monday’s press conference but phoned in to express his support.

“The investments made today for this wonderful park will serve every citizen of Michigan City for decades to come,” he said.

To view video renderings of the Fedder’s Alley All-Inclusive Playground & Fitness Park, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v= rHo0Lzwy7WE.

To donate to the city’s destination playground fundraising efforts through the Unity Foundation of La Porte County, visit https://uflc.net/funds/fedders -alley-park/.