Every Child Deserves a Place to Play: The Story of Kade's Playground

When the City of Herculaneum first considered building a playground in their small town, they were planning to go the traditional route: swings, slides, tunnels, all of the usual suspects. It wasn’t until a few members of the local park board floated the idea of designing an all-inclusive play structure – one that would be accessible to children of all ages and abilities – that the project really began to take shape.

Word of the potential playground spread quickly. When St. Louis-based non-profit Unlimited Play stepped in to make a presentation about how a universally accessible playground could be planned, designed and built, supporters of the idea came out in droves.    

“I wasn’t aware of how big this would become until families who wanted the all-inclusive playground packed the hall at that first meeting,” says Herculaneum Mayor Bill Haggard. “If you don’t have or know a special needs child, sometimes you don’t realize how much of a need there is.”

The Grand Opening of Kade’s Playground 

Fast forward four years and Herculaneum’s state-of-the-art playground is about to become a reality. On Sunday, November 1^st  at 2 p.m., children and families from all over the St. Louis area are invited to the Grand Opening of what is now known as Kade’s Playground. Expect face painting and balloon artists, along with a short ribbon cutting ceremony and recognition of those who made the playground possible.

Children of all ages and abilities will also get to enjoy the main attraction: the completed playground.

“We just can’t wait to let the kids on it,” says Haggard.

Easily accessible from I-55 in Jefferson County, Kade’s Playground is designed so that children with and without disabilities can play together side by side. Everything is wheelchair accessible by ramps, and the playground features high back swings, a saucer swing that holds 3-4 kids, a soft, spongy surface, sensory interactive panels and all kinds of musical instruments like drums and xylophones.

There are traditional swings and slides too, and even a giant “Mt. Vesuvius Volcano” for kids to climb. 

According to Haggard, Herculaneum was named for a city in Italy that was buried by a volcano in 79 A.D. So the volcano – and the playground’s theme of Italian geography – came naturally. The city also plans to add a “Bay of Naples Splash Zone,” hopefully by next summer if they reach their fundraising goals. (A dinner auction is planned for November 7, and individuals or companies interested in sponsoring a piece of the Splash Zone can do so by visiting the city’s website.)

“I think everyone was surprised by how quickly we raised the money for the playground,” says Haggard.

But then again, once you know the story of the little boy the playground is named for, it’s not really much of a surprise at all.

The Story Behind the Name

Like Zachary’s Playground in Lake St. Louis and Brendan’s Playground in O’Fallon, Kade’s Playground is named for one special child with a need for a place to play.

Kade Bauman was diagnosed with Epilepsy, Hypotonia and Cortical Vision Impairment at a young age. Even with a wheelchair, it was difficult for his family to find places where he could play. After visiting an inclusive playground on a Make-a-Wish trip to Disney World, they realized how much of a difference accessible play structures can make in a child’s life, and began advocating for one in their own community.

Tragically, before they met with any success, Kade passed away in his sleep at the age of 3 ½.

When Kade’s parents first heard that Herculaneum might be partnering with Unlimited Play to build an accessible playground, they had almost lost hope of ever seeing this type of playground near their home. Immediately, they offered to help in any way that they could. Still, they were taken by surprise when, in 2012, the playground was officially named in their son’s honor.        

Kade will never play on the playground that bears his name, but his story reminds everyone of why this new accessible playground – the only one of its kind in Jefferson County – matters so much for children with special needs. And hopefully, it will inspire other communities to recognize the need for accessible play equipment and build inclusive playgrounds of their own in the near future.

“Right now, it’s the only one in Jefferson County,” says Haggard. “But we like to say that we’re the first. Because we hope that there will be more.”

To learn more about the Grand Opening of Kade’s Playground or how you can help turn the Bay of Naples Splash Zone into a reality, follow Kade’s Playground on Facebook. Information is also available on the City of Herculaneum’s website.

_{Photo courtesy of Kade's Playground Facebook page.}