The Town of Franklin is applying for a $500,000 grant that would be used to start Phase 1 of the park planned for the Whitmire property in East Franklin.
If awarded, the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) grant would go toward construction of an inclusive playground, the first such playground in Macon County.
An inclusive playground includes equipment and activities accessible for children with varying abilities. “The vision for the inclusive play area is one that will have diverse equipment such as swings and climbing structures, areas with sensory play equipment, wider spaces for wheelchairs and other mobility devices as well as multiple entry/exit points to avoid lines or wait for equipment and activities,” states the proposal for the project.
The playground will be about 8,000 square feet with a pour-in place surface appropriate for children in wheelchairs or with mobility issues. The area will be shaded and will adjoin an adventure area also planned for the park.
The Town held a public hearing on the grant application on April 18. Town Manager Amie Owens said the grant is due May 1 and they should know sometime in August if it is funded.
When asked during the meeting why the inclusive playground was selected, Owens said it scored high during the public input sessions held last year.
Owens said an inclusive playground is “so important for socialization and development of social skills, and being able to recognize diversity in children from a young age up.” She said it is difficult to go to a playground and see a child in a wheelchair do nothing but watch their friends play. “This will be a playground that gives the opportunity where they can all play together.”
There are 727 children with disabilities enrolled in Macon County Schools, according to Brooke Keener, director of exceptional children. While some of the school playgrounds include equipment to serve those children, there is not a public park in Macon County with equipment for children with disabilities. The closest one is in Waynesville.
“Inclusive playground equipment is all about being accessible,” Keener said. “Is the playground designed for all children to engage in all areas? Are the surfaces level? Can students with wheelchairs, walkers or unstable gaits engage in play? Are bathrooms accessible with enough space for walkers/wheelchairs/changing tables? Is there shade? Is entry from the parking-lot accessible? Is there fencing to ensure a safe play space?”
Keener said, “I believe whole-heartedly that designing playgrounds for children with disabilities in mind communicates that our community values and embraces these children and their families.”
Kaleena Messer did not attend the public meeting but submitted an email in support of the inclusive playground. She is the mother of three children, including a nine-year-old daughter who was diagnosed with autism at age two. In her email, Messer said she feels children and families like hers are forgotten about or rarely thought of.
“The life and path we walk daily isn’t something that could be fully understood unless you have walked it,” she said. “This project is a sign of hope for the future of Macon County; while these playgrounds are not just for special needs or handicapped children, it is the perfect opportunity for all kids to be able to interact, to learn about inclusion, and break down the barriers of stigmas.”
Park development
In addition to the playground, the grant would also help pay for parking, restrooms and connecting sidewalks. Phase 1 of the park plan would also include a small picnic shelter, and furnishings such as benches, waste receptacles, dog stations and a drinking fountain. The cost for Phase 1 is estimated at $1,534,600. Owens said the town staff can help do some of the work, such as grading, to help reduce costs.
The $500,000 grant requires a 1-to-1 match, which the Town Council has voted to provide if the grant is awarded.
“We do have those funds available,” Owens said. “We’ve already taken care of that.”
The town held a series of public input sessions in February and May last year to get ideas about what people would like to see at the park. Owens said they also received more than 500 responses to an online survey.
The top 10 uses identified in the public input sessions were (starting with most requested): amphitheater, inclusive playground, restroom facilities, pickleball, farmer’s market, picnic pavilion, bike pump track, natural surface trails, climbing wall, free form playground.
“We know that everybody has different ideas about what is the most important,” Owens said. “We were very pleased to get lots of different input, so you’ll see lots of different amenities.”
The town purchased the 12.71-acre Whitmire property, located off First Street, in 2004 and it sat largely unused until construction of the disc golf course in 2021 and the skatepark, which opened last August. The disc golf course will be reconfigured into a practice course as the park is built out.
The Town Council approved the master plan for the park in July. At that time, the cost of the entire park, to be constructed in three phases, was estimated to be nearly $8 million. The council acknowledged this would be a long-range project as money is available.
Vice Mayor Stacy Guffey attended last week’s public hearing and said he hoped the N.C. Department of Transportation would look at access to the park such as better crosswalks over Highlands Road and East Main Street.
During the Town Council’s budget workshop on April 16, Council member David Culpepper suggested that the town use some of its remaining $421,000 in American Rescue Plan Act money for the bike pump track included in the park plan. No action was taken on the idea as the town is still working on its budget for the coming year. The town must have contracts in place by the end of the year for its remaining ARPA funds with the money spent by Dec. 31, 2026.