JATA donates toward future playground at former Memorial Field

JEFFERSON – Christina Bakos-Meyer, with the Jefferson Area Teachers Association, presented a $400 check on behalf of JATA to Jefferson Mayor Steve Sekanina and Administrator Andria Manor to go toward the all-inclusive playground planned for the former Memorial Field site during the Jefferson Village Council meeting on Monday, March 16.
The Village is receiving $500,000 in funding from the CDC for a state-of-the-art, Inclusive Playground and Imagination Village at the former Memorial Field as part of the Civic Development Corporation’s Campaign 2025: Embrace.
The future playground is a “transformational” project for Memorial Field, with $650,000 in funding for phase 1 of a multi-phase project being supported by grants from the Civic Development Corporation of Ashtabula County and the Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
Funding includes a $500,000 grant from the CDC, along with an additional $150,000 grant from the Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
The Ashtabula County commissioners pledged to give another $150,000 toward the splash-pad portion of the project.
The funding will support the construction of an all-inclusive playground at the Memorial Field site.
“We were pleased to get the contribution from the Jefferson Area Teachers Association,” Sekanina said. “We definitely appreciate that as part of our Memorial Park project going on down the road, which did get kicked off recently.”
Sekanina said the Village has a lot of grant funds that have been pledged for the project, but noted it’s a very expensive project.
“So there’s a lot more that is needed,” Sekanina said. “Having donations like this really mean a lot.”
He said letters will be going out informing people about the project and the opportunity to be part of the project and contribute. There will also be brochures.
“We look forward to having more people contribute, no matter how small,” Sekanina said.
The playground will feature accessible playground equipment, walking paths and a miniature play village that is accessible for all children, including children with disabilities. The project will include the construction of new accessible restrooms, parking areas and a planned splash pad.
The playground is modeled after Preston’s H.O.P.E. in Beachwood.
Preston’s H.O.P.E. is the largest fully accessible playground park in northeast Ohio. This extensive accessible playground park includes Imagination Village, with make-believe houses that are connected by a raised walkway, Play Theatre, a Sand Area and traditional playground area with swings, tunnels and slides that are appropriate for children from preschool through school age.
The Jefferson project will ultimately include several phases, with the expectation that it will take five to seven years to complete all phases of the project.
Renovations to the restroom building at the former Memorial Field began recently.
Jefferson Village Council previously approved a contract with JCI Contractors, Inc. for the renovation of the existing restroom building as part of the overall community park and playground project.