Children of all abilities will soon be able to enjoy playing outside at one of the prettiest spots in Franklin.
On Friday, Aug. 8, the Town of Franklin broke ground for an inclusive playground to be located at what is commonly called the Whitmire property and was historically known as Sunnyside. The name fit on Friday afternoon as the sun was shining and people were looking forward to completion of the playground.
Kathy Peek, who worked 18 years with special needs children in the Macon County school system, said she was excited to see work get started on the playground and she had already heard about field trips being planned.
When the idea for the playground first came up a few years ago, she wrote a two-page letter detailing the need for the playground. Peek works as a safety assistant on the Exceptional Children’s bus. She recalls children coming back from field trips and when she asked them if they had a good time, they would often comment that they could not do certain things.
“I’ve seen so many of the kids not be able to do, just have to sit on the sidelines,” she said. She has also seen her husband, who has been handicapped since birth, not be able to participate in a lot of things. “But the little children on the school bus, it’s just heartbreaking,” she said.
Peek said she was thankful the council members listened and took action. “It’s not a penny wasted, I can tell you that right now. None of us, not even myself, know what this is going to mean to the special needs children. I’m just so grateful.”
Meeting a need
The site, located off First Street in East Franklin, is already home to the skate park that opened in 2023 and a disc golf course built in 2021. In 2023, the Town Council approved a long-range recreation plan for the park that could eventually include a multi-use pavilion, picnic shelters, a rock climbing wall, bike pump track and walking paths.
The inclusive playground is the first phase, which also will include a restroom facility, sidewalks and improved parking.
During Friday’s groundbreaking, Mayor Jack Horton thanked the council members, staff and members of the community who made the playground a priority.
“So often we see that there’s a need in the community that’s unmet. That’s the case with this playground,” he said. “An inclusive playground allows for kids with physical or other disabilities to be able to get outside and do things. I’m glad to see that there’s a real movement across the country right now for people to get away from their screens, get away from their TVs, and get out and do some exercise and get some fresh air and some sunshine. I think it helps you both physically and mentally to be able to get out and participate in outside things. I think this will give an opportunity for those kids who never had the opportunity to do that to be able to take advantage of this. Other kids will be out here playing as well.”
Vice Mayor Stacy Guffey recalled how the idea for the playground came about after resident Hazel Norris came to the Town Council to talk about how there were not any playgrounds for children with special needs and families were having to drive out of county to parks where their children could play.
He said the playground is an example of how local government is the form of government closest to the people it serves. “Just a few people can make a big difference,” Guffey said.
“We are standing on a project that was initiated by the public next to another project that was initiated by the public,” said council member Mike Lewis, referring to the nearby skate park which came about after young skaters came to the council and county commissioners requesting a place to skate. The skate park is a result of town and county support and donations from citizens and local businesses.
“So, if you think, ‘well, there’s no need for me going and saying anything, nobody’s going to listen to me,’ well, we listen. We’ve listened on both of these projects,” Lewis said.
He continued, “This isn’t just a playground, it’s a promise that any child, regardless of ability, can laugh, play, explore and belong. I think it’s something that’s going to be really, really great for this community.”
Council member Rita Salain said although they used to fuss about the purchase of the Whitmire property and how long it sat unused, she was glad to see something good happening there and that the playground will soon be a reality. “And, if there’s a prettier spot in Franklin, I don’t know where it is,” she said. “I’m so glad that we’ve got this to share with all of us and with all the children, regardless of their abilities to play and to have fun.”
The playground and restroom facility is estimated to cost about $1.6 million. The town received a $500,000 Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant from the state to help cover the cost.
Equipment was delivered to the site on Monday. Town Manager Amie Owens said the construction contract is for 240 days, but they estimate it will take between 150 and 180 days. There will be shaded areas for children to play and the adults watching them, and there will be quiet space for children who get overstimulated. Owens said the larger playground equipment will accommodate wheelchairs and is rated to hold up to 450 pounds. The playground will be designed with areas for different age groups. And there will be some surprises in the design for children to discover.
“We wanted to make it as interactive and as interesting as possible,” Owens said.
On the Sunnyside
During the Town Council meeting on Aug. 4, the board discussed naming the park Sunnyside.
Owens read a letter from former mayor Bob Scott that included historical references to the area being known as Sunnyside and that the name has connections to the women in the Women’s History Trail’s “Sowing the Seeds of the Future” sculpture in East Franklin. The Whitmire family owned the property for about 50 years. The town bought the 12.71-acre property in 2004. The plans were to build a municipal center on the site, but instead Town Hall moved into what was known as the Burrell Building, where it is located now.
After many years of sitting unused, the council decided in 2022 not to sell the property but instead come up with a plan for it. Horton commended the current council for figuring out a way to use the property “for some good community purpose that serves everybody.”
“We’re so proud of the fact that we see things being accomplished,” Horton said. “Somebody said here a while back, talking about Washington, D.C., and the politicians who are up there, when all is said and done in Washington, there’s a whole lot more said than done. That’s not the case here in Franklin. When we say we’re going to do something, we do it.”