WARREN - Mindy McGann's face beamed with joy as she was pushed on a swing in Perkins Park Saturday afternoon.
It was the first time that the 10-year-old had ever been on a playground swing.
Mindy, who has cerebral palsy, has been in a wheelchair for most of her life, so it has been impossible for her to navigate around a typical playground.
With the opening of the Valley's Inclusive Playground in Perkins Park, McGann and most other young people with physical challenges will be able to play on equipment especially designed for a variety of physical conditions. The playground has a special wheelchair swing, other swings with seat guards, wider slides, ramps and a rubberized ground.
The grand opening coincided with the 3rd annual Buddy Walk, which highlights young people with Down syndrome.
The $200,000 project was the brainchild of McGann's parents, Kim McGann and Lee Harrison, who approached Mayor Michael O'Brien last year about having an ADA playground built in the city.
Although he liked the idea, O'Brien told them they would have to raise the money for the project themselves.
Working with Main Street Warren and Putting Downs First, they have been able to raise up about $170,000 of the $200,000 needed to build the playground through private donations. The cost of the playground was reduced because all of the labor to do the actual building was donated.
Chuck Joseph, president of Main Street Warren, said the organization decided to join the effort to build the playground because its members recognized there is a large number of people in the Mahoning Valley that could us it.
"Children in wheelchairs and others that do not have the ability to climb and jump around like other children now have a place to play," Joseph said.
"It is important to have the new ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) playground placed next to an existing playground, because it makes it accessible to all children and it makes it more challenging," Joseph said. "It is inclusive to everyone."
Kim McGann, Mindy's mother, says this playground gives her a chance to play at a park like any other child. Before this, all she could do was to watch other children play on the playground equipment.
"We are so grateful to those in the Warren community who came forward with their donations and those who volunteered their time to make this possible," McGann said. "This is such a beautiful place to live. We have beautiful and generous people living here."
The Buddy Walk continued the day's "inclusive" theme.
Cara Meadows, whose twin nephew and niece were born with Down syndrome, says she helped to form Putting Downs First because she could not find information about children with the condition.
"We decided to do our own research and share our results with others," Meadows said. "We started the Buddy Walk as a way to reach out to others in the community."
Meadows hopes the annual Buddy Walk will show that people with Down syndrome and other special needs are capable of doing things, can go to college, get jobs and be part of the overall society.
Marilyn Pitchnell, whose 14-year-old son Donald has Down syndrome, said she wanted to participate because it is important for others to see that people with physical challenges can be active and live full and active lives.
"This kind of event is very important to people with Down syndrome," she said. "With this, they can have places where they can go and play and be active."
Jim Benton of Hubbard and his family were participating in their first Buddy Walk Saturday.
"Events like this bring people with special needs to the forefront of people's conscience," Benton said.
Jared Fogle, the spokesman for Subway Restaurant, was a special guest at the event. The Youngstown-Warren Subway restaurants invited Fogle to participate in the event and provided sandwiches for participants.
"I like to be part of fundraising events like this," Fogle said. "It not only encourages healthy eating, but having a one mile walk and the opening of this ADA playground will encourage exercise among people who otherwise may not have the opportunity."
