Crews broke ground on the Pirnie Inclusive Playground at Ryder Park on July 24, 2023, (City of Grand Island, Courtesy)
GRAND ISLAND — The newest state-of-the-art playground in Grand Island will officially host its ribbon cutting event on May 1 at 10 a.m.
Crews broke ground on the Pirnie Inclusive Playground at Ryder Park on July 24, 2023. What has developed since is a 27,000-square-foot, $2.8 million facility that offers experiences for three stages of development, including spaces designed specifically for children ages 2-5, 5-11 and 12 and older.
The Central Community College-Grand Island Occupational Therapy Assistant Program created the project as part of a class assignment. From there, the CCC Foundation took over the fundraising operations and raised $1.6 million from 237 total donors. The City of Grand Island then committed $1.25 million for infrastructure upgrades.
“This playground represents Grand Island’s longstanding tradition of people working together to make things happen,” Mayor Roger Steele said. “The upcoming ribbon cutting is a testament to that effort and will be a prideful day for the City of Grand Island.”
Immediately following the ribbon cutting, the Grand Island Tree Board will also be demonstrating how to properly plant a tree as part of the city’s Arbor Day recognition. The demonstration will be held near the new playground. The event is open to the public and media.
For more information, please contact Communications Manager Spencer Schubert at spencers@grand-island.com.
