LeTulle Park

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An inclusive playground with historic roots

LeTulle Park in Bay City, Texas, was founded in the 1930s and has a long, rich history. The park was named after a local farmer, who donated the land despite the hardships during the Great Depression. Since its founding, it has been renovated over time to best serve the community. The most recent renovation is the DreamScape playground, which is named as a reminder that dreams can become reality.

With the help of Spring, Texas-based playground provider Kraftsman and recreational product manufacturer Superior Recreational Products, the DreamScape playground includes recycled and inclusive barn theme play equipment. There are two barn-themed structures and a tractor that are completed with swings and benches. The barn theme was chosen to honor the agricultural heritage of the community.

“Mr. LeTulle was a rice farmer, rancher, and philanthropist that gave back to the community by donating property for the park and the hospital. We wanted to honor him and thought the barn theme was a great way to do that,” Bay City Parks and Recreation Supervisor Kelly Penewitt says.

One of the most important and impactful elements of this play environment is its ability to provide safe and fun play experiences for children of all abilities. The larger of the two play structures is designed with a wide accessible ramp and play events that children of all abilities can easily access.

“The reality for many families of children with disabilities is that what is usually a simple outing for others is not so simple at all,” Penewitt says. “The addition of this playscape has benefitted the community as a whole by providing a new play area for children of all abilities to play and grow together to truly make life better in Bay City.”

Since replacing the old equipment, the city has seen more use of the playground.

“The playground was well used before, but after opening [the new one] we saw a big increase in usage by children of all abilities. We have parents from cities over 30 miles away bringing their children here to play,” Penewitt says.

With Bay City being near the coast, the recycled playground material is highly beneficial as it’s designed to thrive in coastal areas. This corrosion-resistant material is reinforced with fiberglass elements for greater strength that prevents deterioration.

“We recommended recycled [material] as I thought it would blend better with the surroundings,” Kraftsman Sales Representative David Ondrias says. “I’m partial to [using recycled playgrounds] along the Gulf Coast as it will outlast about any steel product.”

Funding for the playground was made possible from donations from those within the community, the Bay City Community Development Corporation, and a local park grant program administered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

“The whole city got behind the project. One of our local special-education teachers helped push the idea into a reality by campaigning and raising funds,” Penewitt says.

This is a playground that will be enjoyed by many for years to come.

“It was once a dream for children with disabilities to have a place to interact and play with children who are typically developing. That dream is now a reality,” Penewitt says.