by Jason Howarth
After four months of construction and $600,000 raised in fundraising, the Above & Beyond Children’s Museum in downtown Sheboygan (902 N. 8th Street) is set to have the grand opening for their all-abilities playground, called the Purple Octopus Playground on Saturday August 27. The playground will be open to public starting at 10 a.m. and the grand opening celebration will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with admission being free to the public.
The outdoor playground has a theme centered around a giant purple octopus and shares the message that “we are better together,” said Jackie Erdman, executive director at Above & Beyond Children’s Museum, before adding “this is a lesson that kids of all ages will celebrate at the playground and in our community as it brings us all together in play.” The play space has been carefully crafted for kids and adults with physical and sensory challenges, as well as for those without such restrictions or special needs to enjoy. The playground is ideally a play space for children aged 3-8 years old, but the museum makes clear that all ages are welcome. The Purple Octopus Playground will be downtown Sheboygan’s first public playground and city’s second inclusive playground along with the Shaw Family Playground.
Chad Pelishek, the director of planning & development at City of Sheboygan said “we are overjoyed to create another playground in our city that any kid can come to regardless of abilities where all kids and all families can enjoy the playground together.” Pelishek continued by saying that “adding a public, ADA-accessible playground in the heart of downtown Sheboygan guarantees all children and visitors have a safe space to play and grow no matter their socio-economic status or abilities.”
The amenities included so that people with mobility and sensory-sensitive issues can enjoy the playground include: wheelchair and stroller accessible ramps, an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible wheelchair and stroller transfer platform, ground-level accessible equipment and nest swing set, darker bubbles painted under the swing set will alert visually impaired persons to the swing’s range of motion, and a transfer platform entering the octopus head will provide a way for children of all abilities to access the slide.
The playground is a wholly unique, one-of-a-kind endeavor designed for the Above & Beyond by the Norwegian company MONSTRUM with the equipment travelling 4,656 miles to reach Sheboygan. According to Erdman the reason for choosing MONSTRUM for this project was that “we (the museum) found that MONSTRUM fit with our vision. They have perfected the art of creating playscapes that are artistic in nature, structurally sound, and focused on child development and accessibility for children of all-abilities.”
The completion of the grand opening will be the conclusion of construction project that began in April 2022. The playground does still have some work to be done with rubber surfacing for the park and landscaping. The Sheboygan community will be chipping in to put the finishing touches on the playground (which is 90 feet long and 47 feet wide) with landscaping designed by Bookworm Gardens of Sheboygan and help from a local construction partner in Jos. Schmitt Construction of Sheboygan.
“We are thrilled to welcome anyone and everyone to come to the playground regardless of abilities where all can enjoy the playground together,” said Erdman. “This playground project, seven years in the making, has had support from many hands, legs and tentacles!” Park hours after the grand opening will be 6 a.m.-11 p.m.
The park’s primary fundraising goal of $600,000 has been met, but the project still seeks an additional $72,000 for future equipment maintenance and general reserve funding. Various donation and sponsorship opportunities are also available. The “Pick-A-Picket” Fundraiser is underway to gain additional funds. Personalized engraved fence pickets that will encircle the playground are available for purchase starting at $150. Additional opportunities to support the playground include attending or sponsoring the annual fundraiser “Tastefully Childish” on Friday September 16. This will be a deep-sea themed evening featuring libations, culinary delights, delightful sweets, live music, and more that will be held both indoors and outdoors next to the new Purple Octopus Playground. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available online at http://www.abkids.org
Ground-Level View of the Purple Octopus Playground. Picture Courtesy of Above & Beyond
