The Town of Franklin has received a grant to build an inclusive playground on the Whitmire property.
A playground that is accessible for children of all abilities was one of the top-ranking items listed when the town conducted a survey and held public meetings in 2023 about future uses of the property, located off First Street in East Franklin.
Franklin’s Whitmire park playground was one of 46 parks and recreation projects across the state to receive $17.9 million in funding through the state’s Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF). The Town of Franklin received the maximum grant amount of $500,000.
Town Manager Amie Owens said, “The town is very appreciative of the grant funding from PARTF and plans to provide a play area where children with diverse abilities can participate in activities that are fun, sensory-rich and help to foster a culture of inclusive play.”
While some of the school playgrounds include equipment to serve children in wheelchairs or with mobility issues, this would be the first inclusive playground in a public park in Macon County. The closest one is in Waynesville. The Town of Highlands is raising funds to replace its current playground with an inclusive playground and hopes to start construction next spring.
Representatives from Carolina Parks and Play, LLC are expected to attend the Town Council meeting in October to present a rendering of what the play area could look like and get additional input.
Once the final plan is approved, Owens said it will take three to four months to receive the equipment and approximately three months for site work and installation. Town staff will do some of the site work.
The PARTF grant requires a match of $500,000. Owens said the playground was part of the town’s capital improvement plan for fiscal year 2023-24 and the match will be paid from the undesignated fund balance in the General Fund.
The inclusive playground would be part of Phase 1 of the Whitmire park plan and would also include a small picnic shelter and furnishings such as benches, waste receptacles, dog stations and a drinking fountain. During a public hearing in April, Owens said the estimated cost for Phase 1 is $1,534,600.
The town has already built a skatepark on the property. 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, and a free form playground.