The Rotary Club of Perry recently received a grant that put them closer to building a new Weise Park in Perry. 

The T-Mobile Hometown Grant Program named Perry as one of their 25 recipients in the nation to receive $20,000 for a project that will make a difference in a small community. The Rotary Club of Perry President Dirk Cavanaugh says they’re looking to make Weise Park (ADA) Americans with Disabilities Compliant in celebration of the Rotary Club’s 100 year anniversary.

“What we’re going to do is we’re going to build an inclusive playground so it’s accessible to children with handicaps. So that drives the cost up a bit because the surfacing needs to be such that they can get wheelchairs in and out of there easily. And that and so it’s going to be built just to the north of the existing play area, Weise Park.”

Cavanaugh explains that the community is thrilled about the addition of the ADA compliant playground because there isn’t one in Perry. 

“Everybody’s excited about it. Perry does not have an inclusive playground right now. There are a couple of swings at Pattee Park that you can put wheelchairs on and a couple of things here and there, but they’re not all included in one play area for all the kids. So this allows kids to play with all their friends no matter what their abilities are.”

He points out that they are hoping to start construction on the park this spring and have the completion date come before the start of the school year in the fall.