Hope Helps’ plan would finalize playground

A community build for the third and final phase of Hope Helps All Inclusive Playground is scheduled for August.

Brittney Kaluzny, the founder and president of the non-profit organization, announced last week that Hope Helps met its fundraising goal and is ready to expand the playground in Coal City’s Lions Park.

Before moving forward with its investment, Kaluzny reiterated concerns she brought to the Village Board’s attention last year with regard to routine maintenance and security issues at the park.

“There are some things that need to be accomplished out there,” she said pointing to the repair and replacement of equipment, overall site maintenance and cleaning.

And, there are issues with vandalism and unruly behavior that has resulted in damage to the park and restrooms.

These concerns have been addressed multiple times by Kaluzny who typically fields the calls about issues that come up with the park.

In constructing the park, the organization donated the equipment to the village with the understanding that the town would assume responsibility for all maintenance and oversight of the playground.

Village officials have acknowledged the need for additional oversight in the park and have spent time in the past week developing a plan that includes enhanced security measures with changes to the site surveillance cameras and on-site visits by members of the police department.

“It pains me that this happens,” Police Chief Chris Harseim said, noting the vandalism that’s occurred at the playground and restrooms.

“I can tell you if my guys or any of us catch them or find out who did this they will be paying for it and never be at that park again as long as I’m here,” the chief said.

The playground is a destination for local and non-local visitors.

“I get a lot of comments from people from out of town who come into town to go to that park, so I definitely want us to keep the park up,” Mayor Terry Halliday said.

The playground was installed in 2016, the first phase coming after years of fundraising by the organization. The initial investment in the community was around $300,000.

Two years later, Hope Helps expanded the play area and enhanced the park with picnic tables and benches at a cost of $200,000.

The cost for phase three of the playground comes in at over $167,600, bringing the organization’s total investment $638,000.

“That’s just amazing for a small little community like Coal City to have people who have raised that kind of money for our parks, is just absolutely amazing,” Halliday said.

The funds to provide the park came from individual and corporate donations, and fundraisers such as the annual basket raffle held each April in observance of Autism Awareness Month.

The expansion will be based on a 3,068 square foot poured rubber base located on the northeast corner of the original playground and feature five pieces of equipment.

There will be a Boogie Board, Hemisphere Climber, Bobble Rider, ReviSpin and Double Oodle Swing that Kaluzny described as a swings on a bungee cord that bounce up and down and swing back and forth.

Additionally, the space that once served as a sensory garden will become a concrete surface that features a musical instrument center with drums, chimes and metallophones.

The sound created by these instruments will then flow into the rest of the park for the enjoyment of those visiting.

Kaluzny said the plan includes additional landscaping, signage and possibly more benches and tables.

In her presentation to the Village Board, Kaluzny asked that if the organization proceeds with phase three would the village be willing to accept it and allow for a community build.

The mayor and trustees were in overwhelming support of moving forward and pledged their support with the town’s public works department assisting with site preparation and concrete work.

The village agreed that the workcan be done by local individuals and supporters in constructing the equipment.

Kaluzny said the build is tentatively scheduled for the first weekend in August. The rubber ground cover would be poured the following week resulting in an opening on or around Aug. 20.

Halliday expressed his gratitude for the organization’s work to establish the all-inclusive park in Coal City.

“Brittney and family, thank you, thank you, thank you,” Halliday said.

Moving forward, the mayor encourages the community to notify the village if they observe anything that needs to be maintained or draws concern. Anyone observing damage being done at the playground are asked to notify the police.

“If you see something, say something,” Harseim said.