The countdown to the ribbon cutting on the new Wolf’s Prairie Playground at Grove Park in Berrien Springs is officially on.
Village community engagement coordinator Jennifer Marren tells us Wolf’s Prairie Playground has been a popular play place for generations of kids in the area, but it’s time to replace the equipment. The village of Berrien Springs allocated $600,000 to do so and the crews have just about got it all installed.
So, what’s new there?
“So far, there’s been a 14-foot tower slide that’s been installed, a roller slide, which is great for sensory play and children with hearing aids,” Marren said. “There’s a fantastic, massive blue matrix web that is great for those older kids. So we really picked intentional pieces to grow with the child in the community or visitors.”
Marren says the playground will also feature hand-sculpted, custom pieces that include a kayak, a tent, and campfire. A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to raise the final bit of money needed for the overall project.
“We are racing to the ribbon cutting, and we’re trying to fund the remaining gap. Currently, we have a fundraising challenge right now where we’re trying to raise $75,000 to receive a matching grant from MEDC for an additional $75,000 to help us finish the project, and that money is going to help us put down the turf to allow us to complete it and be open on Friday, June 26, what we’re anticipating for our ribbon cutting day.”
Even if the fundraising goal isn’t reached in time, the ribbon cutting will still take place that day. The time has not yet been announced, but Marren says the community is getting excited for the new playground.
“I’ve talked to the neighbors, there’s carloads after carloads, driving by the playground, and you just see families getting out, and there was a family that lived on the corner there, and the girls were just ecstatic. They’re like, ‘Dad, look at it, it’s coming together,’ and it just warms your heart.”
You can learn more about the crowdfunding campaign to complete the playground right here.
