Plans for inclusive playground discussed at woman’s club meeting

STEUBENVILLE -- The need to construct an inclusive playground in the Steubenville area was discussed during the monthly meeting of the Woman's Club of Steubenville.

Those in attendance heard from Lori Featherolf, Steubenville Parks and Recreation director.

Featherolf, who has served in the role of director for the past seven years, explained she has given herself a 12-month timeline in which to raise approximately $800,000 toward the Belleview Park project.

Including the second phase of the project, the estimated cost would be $1.5 million. The inclusive playground would be handicapped-accessible and available to everyone, she informed members.

"This is something the community needs and would use, Featherolf stated. "And kids would love it.

"We do not have this kind of playground equipment anywhere," she continued, noting parks such as this can be found in Cranberry Township and Pittsburgh. These areas have the Pittsburgh Pirates who get involved, so funding for park upgrades is available to these locations.

Members asked where the nearest inclusion playground is to Steubenville, to which Featherolf responded, St. Clairsville. Wheeling has the field portion "but nothing to this extent," she added.

The design Featherolf showed members was closest to the project being looked at.

Additional plans include placing shelters over the park's picnic tables to make it "a great gathering spot."

Mothers pushing strollers must walk through grass when walking from the parking lot to the shelters, she continued. This grassy area would be removed and additional parking spaces would be made available for guests.

"That is a nice problem to have -- needing more parking," she said.

Club members questioned what kind of material is placed underneath the playground equipment, to which Featherolf responded, "rubberized, melted pebbles that are poured in place." It then hardens to create a "spongy" surface. This material is much softer than mulch, she noted.

"Our primary focus is so everybody can play together," Featherolf told the women. "It will be inclusive for everyone."

She said another goal would be to have Wi-Fi placed within the park because everyone is always using their phones.

Her timeframe of 12 months to raise $800,000 includes pledges and promised money. The following step would be to proceed in locating architects and obtain permits.

The city would be responsible for bidding contractors, she said.

The director informed members the park's pickleball courts are for anyone's use. A basketball court was made into three pickleball courts. However, there is a need for additional courts and this project would allow more to be built.

She explained approximately 10,000 people are waiting to play the game in Weirton. The popular-growing sport is open for use. Equipment is available for use on site and open at all hours.

"We welcome anyone to stop at the rec center's gym and use the weight room, too," Featherolf stated. She mentioned $25,000 was spent to update the facility.

The expansion of the inside of concessions would be phase two of the project. At the moment, pre-packaged foods are sold. Counters would need to be lowered because it is difficult to see a child waiting, she said.

"We have 12 parks that we tend to," Featherolf explained, saying the park known as "the flats" in the city's North End was closed due to reasons which included difficulty in making the necessary upgrades with limited funding.

She spoke about a new informational site which allows officials to learn certain park information, such as how many people visit the parks. Belleview Park is the busiest of the 12, with 100,000 people visiting in a year's time.

"This is great information to have -- especially for grant writing," she commented. In comparison, Beatty Park is busier at certain times of the year, especially when the weather is cold, as it holds its annual Christmas in the Park event, drawing in several hundred people.

Belleview Park also has a day camp, which Featherolf runs. She offers swimming lessons, which began March 1 and run for an hour and a half. Currently the only instructor teaching the class, she hopes to add another teacher so more people can learn to swim. The charge to attend is $15.

The parks and rec director then discussed the Beatty Park bridge, built in 1885. The bridge was closed 2019 after falling in. Although a contract was signed, the bridge began shifting more. Due to fire-safety reasons, the engineering firm is completing a report.

Once officials figure how to shore up the bridge, work will begin from the top, down.

"We want to save all of that," she informed members.

In 2018, a shelter burned in Beatty Park, Featherolf stated. Insurance will cover the costs and the shelter will be fixed once bridge work is complete.

"The Friends of Beatty Park have been wonderful to me," she stated. "A lot of the schools around here go out there. It is our oldest park in the city."

Featherolf told club members about the city's Easter egg hunt. Due to the rain and cold, not as many participants attended. There were 100 children taking part. Officials hid 6,000 eggs, resulting in each child receiving several. Featherolf said she tries to partner with as many outside agencies as she can.

Corresponding Secretary Marge Bedortha commented Featherolf's presentation was one of the most interesting and informative talks the club has had. "We have been so thankful for Lori every year," Bedortha said. "I can't imagine how daunting it would be to come in during a time when there was major problems and she had little or no budget to work with. We are all so grateful for Lori and what she has done."

All members thanked her for taking the time to speak on the inclusion project. For information on Steubenville Parks and Recreation, visit its Facebook page.