Local nonprofit Hope Included, in partnership with Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors and Play & Park Structures Inc., a PlayCore company, have announced the grand opening of the Riverview Park Playground to take place Thursday, Sept. 12 at 4 p.m. Since the project began last fall, it has transformed into an inclusive park that is an open and safe space carefully designed to promote play among children of differing abilities, ages and communities.
The grand opening celebration will feature a ribbon cutting ceremony and complimentary Kona Ice, sponsored by Play & Park Structures, Inc.
and Bliss Products. Guest speakers scheduled to appear include Nicolle McCoy, founder of Hope Included, Commissioner Brad Turner, Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and Morgan McCormick, park stewardship and maintenance director for Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors.
Commissioner Turner awarded Hope Included in 2023 with a $500,000 check as part of the state’s inclusive playground and facility grant. In addition to designing the playground, Play & Park provided a matching funds grant for the equipment. Individual donations from the community reached $500,000.
Ms. McCoy founded Hope Included after the 2019 passing of her daughter, Hope, from a rare condition called Xia-Gibbs Syndrome. Its mission is to give all members of the community, regardless of ability, access to everything that makes us love where we live and do what we love.
Ms. McCoy said, “We are thrilled to see our dreams of making this inclusive playground a reality. Our precious Hope left the earthly world five years ago. From that moment forward, her family and friends have dedicated themselves to sharing the life lesson that Hope taught them all – to be with the people you love. With the generosity and hard work of so many, Riverview Park will be a place that people of all abilities can gather in the community and be together – playing, loving and laughing - what Hope did best.”
For more information about Hope Included, visit: www.hopeincluded.org.