Village of Lewiston set to break ground on inclusive playground May 3

Public can still donate funds to project

By Joshua Maloni

Managing Editor

The Village of Lewiston plans to break ground this spring on a $750,000 inclusive playground at Marilyn Toohey Park. Mayor Anne Welch said a groundbreaking ceremony will take place as part of the 25^th annual “Spring Fling” on Sunday, May 3.

“We have raised quite a bit of money,” she explained at Monday’s monthly board meeting. “We’re still looking for more donations.”

More than $525,000 has been committed, between private donations, Greenway funding ($200,000) and a grant from the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York ($250,000).

Welch said tax-deductible donations can be sent to the clerk’s office, 145 N. Fourth St.

“Hopefully, we can get a few more donations in; we have a few more grants out there; and we’re still waiting for people to donate,” she said.

Construction, Welch explained, “Is going to happen this summer." The final product "is going to be terrific.”

“Spring Fling” takes place from 1-4 p.m. at the Red Brick Municipal Building on North Fourth Street. The annual event is organized by the Village of Lewiston Recreation Department. It includes a free, one-mile race for kids, plus a petting zoo, chalk walk for children, a Bounce-N-Around bounce house, live music, a basket auction … and elected leaders cooking hot dogs.

“We always have a lot of people there,” Welch said.

The groundbreaking ceremony is open to the public.

About the Inclusive Playground

The inclusive playground will be built in Marilyn Toohey Park, behind the Red Brick Municipal Building. At nearly 14,000 square-feet, it will provide a welcoming recreational area for children of all abilities.

Plans call for enhanced safety and shading features; sound, motion/movement and sensory-sensitive areas for kids with special needs; musical instruments; "buddy" swings, We-saw seesaws and wheelchair-accessible slides; a seated zipline; open green space to interact or just stretch; and a splash pad.

For more information, or to make a donation, call the mayor’s office at 716-754-8271.