Strouds Run State Park is currently constructing a new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant restroom and playground and plans to construct an ADA-compliant walkway connecting features to main locations on site.
The new playground is being funded by an anonymous donation to the Ohio State Parks Foundation, according to a news release from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, or ODNR.
“The restroom is funded through our Capital program, and then the walkway will be funded through donations that were secured by the committee there in Athens, and also that was through donations and through the Ohio State Parks Foundation,” Jerry Pollock, Strouds Run State Park’s manager said.
The Inclusion Project, a club at Ohio University dedicated to promoting equality for individuals with disabilities, organized a fundraiser walk for Strouds Run.
Local businesses participated by donating money to support updates and improvements for the Strouds Run project.
The event raised $200 through donations from Bagel Street Deli, Jackie O’s, Ohio Athletics, Ohio Is Home, Kisers BBQ and Athens Cinema.
Club President Kennedy Faller said in an email Hillel also ran a bake sale and donated all proceeds to the cause as well as the Singing Men of Ohio who started the walk by singing an OU song.
“The collected funds went to Strouds Run to help make the beach more accessible!” Faller said via email.
Pollock said the park saw a need for accessibility at Strouds, including comments and survey feedback.
According to a news release from The Athens City-Council Health Department, it is estimated that around 546,000 individuals with mobility disabilities reside within a 100-mile radius of Athens County.
Faller said the lack of inclusive features in local parks and playgrounds in nearby areas has raised issues in a community with a high population of individuals with disabilities.
“In the sense of school or neighborhood parks, you have to have the ability to get not only into the park but also the activities and equipment,” Faller said. “There is not always an accessible entrance or an accessible option for equipment.”
According to ODNR’s press release, the playground is being constructed on the park's North end and will include features such as sensory equipment and accessible swings.
The walkway is being constructed connecting the parking lot, playground, restroom, and beach, making it a simple task for those with mobility issues to reach all the sites Strouds has to offer.
These projects are part of a broader commitment from the Ohio State Parks Foundation to increase accessibility so that all people can experience the outdoors, according to ODNR’s press release.
Pollock said the park aims to complete all three new updates by Spring 2025, though this timeline is weather-dependent.
Advocates for accessibility everywhere appreciate this project. Faller said the improvements to Strouds Run will benefit families who have members with disabilities
“It is a great place to go and hang out with friends or family. With it not being accessible, it makes that not a choice or not an easy choice for individuals to make,” Faller said in an email. “When Strouds is more accessible, it will give another choice to everyone.”
