By Delayna Earley
The Island News
The first inclusive playground in Beaufort County officially opened on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024.
The Bruce Edgerley Inclusive Playground opened with a crowd of about 50 people in attendance, but more families came following the ceremony to enjoy the new facility.
The playground equipment, which cost nearly $800,000, was installed in July 2023, but it was revealed and reported to Beaufort County Council in September 2023 that proper procurement code was not followed in the purchase of the equipment.
At the time, Shannon Loper was the Beaufort County Parks and Recreation Director, but she is no longer employed by the county.
Six months after the equipment was initially installed, the playground is now open and can be used by members of the public.
Interim County Administrator John Robinson announced during the Jan. 8, 2024, County Council meeting that the contractors finished sidewalks just after Christmas and revealed the date of the grand opening and ribbon cutting, but made no mention of the issues surrounding the playground beginnings.
The new playground is in Port Royal at the Port Royal Community Center.
The equipment is inclusive because it goes beyond American with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards to accommodate children of all abilities, according to Hannah Nichols, Beaufort County’s Public Information Officer.
Among the typical pieces you might see at a playground, it features a flush entry to the equipment, unitary turf surfacing, new restrooms and sensory areas.
While the playground will be managed and maintained by Beaufort County, the town of Port Royal will step in to help where it is needed, Port Royal Mayor Kevin Phillips said.
Phillips, who just celebrated the birth of his first child, said that he is very excited about the opening of the new playground and that Port Royal was chosen as the site for the playground.
He said that they specifically chose to have the event on a Saturday so that more families and children would be able to attend and use the playground.
“It’s a beautiful playground,” Phillips said. “I’m excited to see people enjoying it.”
Delayna Earley formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.
