This-N-That
Demonstration Site Exceeds ADA Guidelines
Situated along the Ohio River at the southernmost tip of the Hoosier state sits Kevin Hammersmith Memorial Park in the county seat of New Albany, Ind. As a National Demonstration Site for inclusive outdoor play, the playground at KHMP exceeds guidelines for ADA accessibility. This was the selling point used by the Floyd County Parks and Recreation Department when the team launched the $1.3-million playground project seven years ago. But words alone didn’t extend far when it came to fundraising on such a scale. Superintendent Roger Jeffers realized that he had to show, rather than tell, to inspire donors and secure funding for the innovative design.
With the help of a film crew, the department captured the lived experiences of the county’s 2,200 special-needs children. They highlighted perspectives of community members who would directly benefit from an inclusive playground, and once donors connected with the faces in the promotional video and understood the personal impact of a donation, funds started to pour in.
In addition to a splash pad, the design included wheelchair accessible ramps and turf, sensory wave sound boards and shaded musical instruments for the visually and hearing impaired, and inclusive swings, slides, and zip lines that could be enjoyed by wheelchair users and able-bodied children alike.
With the help of grants and donations from Patronicity and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority’s matching funds, county residents raised over $109,000 towards the construction of the new accessible playground. As momentum for the project picked up after the promotional video, the playground received financial support from individual members of the community and larger charitable organizations who believed in the cause. The playground officially opened to the public on May 21, 2022.
For information on how to become a designated National Demonstration Site, visit https://www.playcore.com/nds.
--Information provided by Sierra Williams
Field Notes
JLG Architects has merged with Minneapolis-based 292 Design Group, a hockey and sports-focused architecture firm with strong ties to elite athletic programs and NHL programs across the country. The transition marks the fifth merger in JLG’s company history.
Summit Nutrients, LLC, a precision-based manufacturer and marketer of bio-nutritional and fertilizer products, has acquired AGVNT, LLC, an R&D company known for pioneering the industry’s most recognized technology platform of nutrient efficiency innovations.
Profile Products hired Colin Ewart as key accounts manager. He will be responsible for growing strategic relationships with key distribution partners, large-scale end users and key influencers in the Western United States. Before joining Profile, Ewart was a commercial sales director at Filtrexx International and district sales manager at Ecolab.
Exmark announced a three-year contract with OMNIA Partners, in partnership with Cobb County, Ga. The contract enables public-service agencies including municipalities, governments, non-profits, and schools to purchase Exmark and Z Turf Equipment products through its cooperative purchasing program.
Hospeco Brands Group, a manufacturer and supplier of personal care, cleaning, and protection products, has acquired ChemCor Chemical Corp. Based in Southern California, ChemCor is a manufacturer and distributor of specialty chemical products including cleaners that target floor care, kitchens, restrooms, and laundry, as well as disinfectants, sanitizers, degreasers, and hand soaps.
Congratulations to Indianapolis-based Schmidt Associates, a regional architecture, engineering, and interior design firm, for winning three Monumental Awards from the Indy Chamber. Annually, the awards recognize the most significant achievements by individuals and businesses contributing to excellence in architecture, engineering, interior design, landscape architecture, construction, real estate development, neighborhood revitalization, innovative reuse, and public art throughout central Indiana.
USA Clay Target League, U.S. Council For Athletes’ Health Partner
Eagan, Minn.—The USA Clay Target League (USACTL) has teamed up with the U.S. Council for Athletes’ Health (USCAH), an arrangement that will provide athletes, parents, and coaches access to health, safety, and wellness education resources to support and optimize student athlete healthcare.
“The League’s priorities have always been safety, fun, marksmanship—in that order,” said USACTL president John Nelson. “We are happy to work with the USCAH to provide educational programs that support the health and well-being of league athletes, parents, and coaches across the county. They are highly regarded and successful working with schools and national athletic associations such as ours.”
The U.S. Council for Athletes’ Health believes that creating a culture that prioritizes athlete health and safety is the responsibility of everyone involved in athletics, not just healthcare personnel. Athletes, coaches, parents, administrators, and officials should all have at least a baseline understanding of health, safety, and welfare issues that are common in youth sports.
USCAH has created an online learning platform called “Athletics Healthspace” that houses a library of courses that have been customized for youth sports and can completed via the website or mobile app.
Visit http://usaclaytarget.com for more information.
Yanmar America Dealer Modifies YT3 Tractor For Wheelchair Access
Adairsville, Ga.—Tractor Bob’s, a dealer of Yanmar America Corporation, has designed and fabricated a tractor conversion for a handicapped customer in a wheelchair. The Yanmar YT3 chair lift is the first chair lift on a compact Yanmar tractor and allows a person in a wheelchair access the tractor and operate it by hand. The further addition of a Jiffy Hitch allows the user to easily change tractor implements.
The dealership was approached with a request to retrofit a tractor for easy access for a customer in a wheelchair.
The team fabricated a custom seat lift transfer system and fitted it to the Yanmar YT3 tractor. The system allows the user to transfer from their wheelchair to the lift, be raised to the tractor cabin and easily transfer across to the tractor seat. The seat lift comes with a wireless remote that controls the lifting operations of the chair. Once in the cabin, a hand throttle and a hand-operated braking mechanism enables the user to operate the Yanmar YT3 tractor entirely by hand.
KemperSports Launches KemperSports Venues
Northbrook, Ill.—KemperSports announced the launch of KemperSports Venues, a business unit that will serve and support its portfolio of youth and recreation sports facilities. KemperSports Venues will deliver sports experiences at facilities for athletes, parents, coaches, and guests, and bring new programming and events to its managed locations across the country.
The company operates a host of sports facilities, from small gyms to expansive sportsplexes. Currently, the company manages seven facilities that offer 10 sports.
For more information on KemperSports Venues, please visit www.kempersports.com/venues.