By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune managing editor
With just a few months until its scheduled opening in June, NaturePlay@BCM is beginning to take shape.
The innovative, nature-oriented playspace at Behringer-Crawford Museum (BCM) in Covington’s Devou Park will let children learn as they play.
Tuesday, project partners and stakeholders provided a sneak preview of the playspace, which is a collaboration between BCM and the Devou Good Project.
Rebekah Gensler, president of the Devou Good Project said it is rewarding to see the progress at the site in just a few months. Ground was broken on the space, which is located in a sloped area adjacent to the museum building, in August.
“We are so excited, all of the big play features are in the ground,” Gensler said. “So now it’s just the landscaping and all the stuff that’s going to provide color. We had to make some design changes as they started to get in and look at the grading, but everything remains accessible, so it’s (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant.
The mission of the Devou Good Project is to help other non-profits in locating funding and doing a lot of the legwork to help bring projects to fruition.
The playspace, which will have a price tag of around $1 million when completed, is completely funded through community donations.
Visitors at the sneak preview got to see some of the features that are at or near completion, including log cabins made from reclaimed timbers, a flatboat, and a zip line cruise swing.
Representatives from BB&T Bank also presented a $25,000 donation to project organizers at the event.
BB&T Regional President Andy Hawking said the playspace is consistent with the company’s mission statement, which is to make the world a better place to live.
“An element of the statement is our commitment to make the communities in which we work better places to be,” Hawking said. BB&T’s support of NaturePlay@BCM reflects our belief that this innovative, natural playspace will provide unique outdoor experiences for all the region’s children. We thank the Behringer Crawford Museum and the Devou Good Project for allowing us to partner with them on this unique playground.”
The enclosed adventure zone features winding paths, imprinted with animal tracks, dig pits, kid-height sensory tables and a replica of a trilobite, an extinct fossil arthropod.
BCM Executive Director Laurie Risch said the BB&T donation will help with the completion of playground structures, including a cruise line, slide and giant trilobite.
“NaturePlay@BCM will extend the museum’s educational offerings to the outdoors,” Risch said. “STEAM programming to meet classroom curriculum is currently under development. We can’t wait to introduce students to the world of nature, science and art.”
Covington Mayor Sherry Carran said the playspace makes her wish she was still a kid.
“Even though, I’m not a kid, I’m going to be up here climbing these rocks,” Carran said. “It’s very cool. There is just so much detail and it’s from a kid’s perspective which will bring out their sense of wonder.”
Other features of the playground include a “Kentucky Cave” crawling space, a tunnel built of native willow, a pioneer garden with native fruits, vegetables and herbs, and dry creeks lined with local rocks and embedded with fossils.
NaturePlay@BCM was designed by POD Design and is being completed by Triton Services Inc. Its location is convenient to local school districts and families and the educational programming is designed to appeal to both groups.
When completed the playground will be free to the general public. For more information on NaturePlay@BCM, click here .
Contact Mark Hansel at mark.hansel@nkytrib.com