Construction is underway on Eden Terrace for Rock Hill’s Miracle Park, an inclusive community space that will include an inclusive playground and two inclusive baseball fields or “miracle fields.”
“The curb has been poured [and] the footing for the two main buildings are being worked on as we speak,” Executive Director Kylie Carroll said. She said the two main buildings include a concession building with an office and a restroom building.
Carroll said these buildings are a part of the first of three phases for the park. Due to COVID-19, the park has been forced to temporarily cut two additional restrooms that were also supposed to be in the first phase.
“There was going to be a restroom building right beside the playground and another restroom building right beside Miracle Field 1, but we have had to cut those for now and just focus on the two main building,” Carroll said. “They are still in the plans. They will come as soon as we have funding to do so, but they did get dropped from Phase 1.
“A lot of the grants that we had planned to apply for this year have been converted into [COVID-19] relief grants, so we’re no longer eligible because we’re non-essential,” Carroll said. “We totally understand that, but it has delayed some things and it’s been difficult for us to find funding.”
Carroll said in the past, third party fundraisers had been very successful for the park. She said the park has raised about $4.2M to date, which is a little over halfway to its $8M goal.
The majority of the funds ($6.5M) will go toward Phase 1. Carroll also said the park was working with South State Bank on a financing plan.
Another change the park has had to make is the decision to not open the playground until the spring of 20201. Originally the plan was to have the equipment installed by this past summer.
“With the playground, if it went up and there’s still construction going just 100 yards away, we felt that it’s not entirely safe,” Carroll said. “We just can’t take that kind of a risk.”
Carroll said the playground is only an eight to 12-week build, depending on weather. She said Cunningham Recreation is in charge of instillation and would be providing one year of maintenance and cleaning on the equipment.
Carroll explained that once the park is open, it will operate under rule of the City of Rock Hill Parks and Recreation, so any coronavirus protocols will be set by the city.
Along with a playground and two miracle fields, she said the park will eventually include two multi-purpose fields, a golf area, and a fishing pond. The park will be for people of all ages and will also provide opportunities for typically-developing children to assist and be “buddies” to children with disabilities.
Carroll said the park is excited to have Winthrop as a partner and looks forward to serving as a lab and partner with art, sport management, special education, and athletics programs.
Those interested in donating to Miracle Park can visit https://www.miracleparkrockhill.com/donations/ or send checks by mail:
The York Disabilities Foundation
PO Box 37021
Rock Hill, SC 29732
Photo by Marisa Fields-Williams
