Bark River Sports Complex Park gets new inclusive play equipment

BARK RIVER, Mich. (WLUC) – Volunteers started installing new play equipment at a playground in Bark River Township Thursday.

Jane Lanaville is a charter member of the Delta Menominee County Heart of the North Lions Club. Lanaville said the new additions will make the Bark River Sports Complex Park more accessible.

“What we did is we chose more pieces that are inclusive, which means more children with disabilities can play on them also,” Lanaville said.

The Heart of the North Lions Club has been fundraising for the project for two years. They’ve raised more than $130,000 with help from the Bark River Lions Club, Lions Club International and other donations and grants.

Lanaville said the inclusive playground will serve more than Bark River.

“I mean we have what two-three different school districts within a 50-mile radius,” Lanaville said. “That tells you we got a wide variety of children in this area with different abilities.”

New play equipment includes a wheelchair-accessible ‘whirl,’ inclusive swing with secure belts so kids don’t fall out and a spongy turf flooring safe for all kids.

While the inclusive equipment is only going into the playground at the sports complex, the Heart of the North Lions Club is also improving Bark River’s downtown park.

Lanaville said the club already replaced the fence, made parking safer and removed a couple of older play pieces.

“We kept the old merry-go-round. We’re keeping the old spiral slide,” Lanaville said. “We’re keeping the two swing sets, but we’re going to update the actual swings.”

Lanaville said they are continuing to raise money for the equipment they want to install at the downtown park. If they reach their goal of $46,000 through Patronicity, they will qualify for a matching grant of $46,000 from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

When complete, the two projects will have cost more than $150,000.

“We want the kids to have somewhere safe to go and play. Somewhere where they can have a good time and not worry about, you know, dilapidated equipment or something breaking,” Lanaville said.

The club plans to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new play area at the sports complex on July 4.

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