By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com
A young child’s squeal of glee Sunday afternoon was all Shelly Myers needed to know that Friendship Hill was a big hit.
Friendship Hill, the city’s inclusive playground, was dedicated during a brief ceremony that saw Matthew Hipskind and Cason Myers cut the ribbon made of paper chains.
The park was then open to the public to enjoy, and that is precisely what they did. Youngsters of all ages and of all abilities took to the swings, the slides and other play things, smiles on their faces.
The park, a dream of Myers for five years, was part of the city’s Stellar Grant program. It is located on South Carroll Street, adjacent to the John Drook Skate Park.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Keith Gillenwater, President and CEO of Grow Wabash County, said during the opening ceremony.
The project was one of several that Gillenwater inherited when he took his former position of President and CEO of the Economic Development Group of Wabash County. It later joined forces with the Wabash County Chamber of Commerce to create Grow Wabash County.
“It quickly became a labor of love,” he said. “To know how much passion Shelly and the rest of the committee members had to put this thing together, I felt I was really part of something special, and I think you’ll all agree once you get in there and see Friendship Hill.”
Myers, in an emotional talk, reiterated what Gillenwater said, noting “It really has been a long time coming.”
She introduced Matthew and Cason as the inspirations behind the park, and she thanked the crowd for being “the reason we were able to get it done.”
Park Director Adam Hall, who headed the committee along with Myers, said he was pleased the way the park turned out.
Sam Hipskind, who with Myers approached then Mayor Robert Vanlandingham about such a park, called it a “great asset to the city.”
“There were some roadblocks there for a while, and we thought, is this really going to happen,” he continued. “The community did not quit supporting it, it did not give up, and here we are, and I think it’s going to be a great addition to the park department.”
Following the ceremony, the construction fence was closed as more work needs to take place at the facility. However, Myers noted, anytime the fence is open the public is invited to play on the equipment that is available. She did warn that in doing so, the public must be aware that it is still a work site and to use care while visiting.