HUBBARD, Ohio – For Pam Kerola, the best part of helping create an all-inclusive playground at the Roosevelt Student Wellness Center was watching the children race past her to get inside after she cut the ribbon Monday evening.
“They’ve been waiting so long,” she said, adding that the rainy spring put work behind schedule. “There’s kids that come down every day and just look through the fence.”
Kerola and her husband, Joe, dedicated the playground to Joe’s parents. It is named Johnny’s Play Place, in honor of Joe’s father, John. Some of the donations came through the Lauretta Foundation, which was established in honor of his mother. Joe said his parents’ example and their lessons on giving back inspired him and Pam to get involved with the project.
“They always loved kids,” Joe said. “My dad, when we were growing up, every kid in the neighborhood played basketball in his driveway. … We’ve been very blessed, so it’s an opportunity to give back and, hopefully, for years to come, the kids at Hubbard will have somewhere to go.”
After speaking with James Chaney, Joe said he was confident about not only the playground project but the entire Roosevelt Student Wellness Center. Chaney spearheaded the Hubbard Youth Coalition and the Roosevelt Community Partnership, organizations that took the gymnasium that remained after Roosevelt Elementary School was torn down and brought it back to life. The old gym is now a space for children and older adults to remain active, even during the winter months.
Since the renovation made the facility available for use, Chaney said over the past two years it has hosted more than 3,500 events, including birthday parties, youth sports practices and health fairs.
Chaney thanked the volunteers who manage the facility for helping make that happen.
“Without those activities the last couple of years, this place was just brick and mortar,” Chaney said. “It’s those activities that have brought life into this facility and made it something that is able to affect the entire community.”
When it came time to build the playground, volunteers stepped in and helped save the project about $18,000 in construction costs, Chaney said.
Before the ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday, Chaney thanked residents, businesses and organizations that donated money, time and talent toward the student center and playground.
“I just want to thank the community,” Chaney said. “I mean, this doesn’t happen in every community. The feedback, the support, the volunteers that run this building on a day-to-day basis – this is community.”
With guidance from the Autism Society of Mahoning Valley, Pam Kerola helped ensure the new playground was designed to be inclusive. It includes a spinner, which is a cubical-style device, a tool for children on the autism spectrum to find a safe refuge. There’s a merry-go-round that is wheelchair accessible and self-propelled. There are also swings that allow children to be transferred onto from a wheelchair.
The Autism Society of Mahoning Valley donated a communication board, which allows nonverbal individuals to express themselves. Musical instruments and other interactive equipment enhance the playground area.
Pam picked out her favorite quotes about childhood that adorn the benches, including one by Dr. Seuss: “Don’t give up, I believe in you all. A person’s a person no matter how small.”
Chaney said now that it’s open, the playground is available for all children to come and play. Nearby parking is available.
This playground isn’t the last project for the Roosevelt Student Wellness Center. Chaney said a second-floor kitchenette will be installed by the end of the year. And fundraising is underway for a golf simulator at the facility.
Pictured at top: James Chaney of the Hubbard Youth Coalition and the Roosevelt Community Partnership.