City of Hickory issued the following announcement on Sept. 26.
The City of Hickory will celebrate the installation of a new message center at Glenn Hilton Park with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday, October 3, at 1:30 p.m.
Earlier this year, the City of Hickory partnered with the Catawba County Partnership for Children to submit a second grant application to fund a message center dedicated to sharing information for individuals with disabilities and their caregivers. Last year, in October, the first of its kind was dedicated at Zahra Baker All Children’s Playground in Kiwanis Park. In June 2022, the Catawba Collaborative was awarded a $2,223 grant for a second message center to be placed at Glenn Hilton Park near the newly installed playground.
The new playground at Glenn Hilton Park incorporates inclusive design features, which provide a variety of physical, social, and sensory experiences. With the goal of offering opportunities for social, cooperative, and pretend play, the playground was designed to include multiple levels of challenge to ensure a challenging activity for children of all ages and abilities.
The playground offers several inclusive features with specific benefits. The Cozy Cocoon provides a cozy space specially designed for those with autism spectrum disorders. An Accessible Swing Seat enables children who require postural assistance to swing next to their peers. The Unity SpinR, a large, kid-powered spinner, encourages cooperation and socialization while delivering a unique vestibular sensation and more physically active experience. The Quattro See Saw allows for further socialization and includes backs, handholds, and footrests to make it easier for a child to balance on the seat.
The new playground and message center at Glenn Hilton Park continue the City’s focus on greater inclusivity, which was fostered by last year’s initiative known as the Community Enhancement Project for Individuals with Disabilities. This project examined existing offerings, identified gaps in service, and aimed to increase the quality of life for citizens by using innovation, best practices, and collaborative partnerships.
“Promoting inclusivity and creating enhanced recreational opportunities for the community is a priority for Hickory,” said City Manager Warren Wood. “We are now able to take actionable steps to improve park amenities and programs thanks to citizen feedback and data collected throughout the Community Enhancement Project for Individuals with Disabilities.”
Through collaboration with Catawba County Partnership for Children, the new message center will highlight the inclusive play features at the playground and deliver valuable information about resources for individuals with disabilities and their families.
“We’re really proud to continue working with the City of Hickory on this initiative and appreciate the ongoing efforts to make our community stronger and more accessible for all,” said Kim Holden, executive director of the Catawba County Partnership for Children.
Glenn Hilton Park is located at 2000 Sixth Street NW in Hickory. For more information about the park, please visit https://www.hickorync.gov/glenn-hilton-park.
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