Hickory – The City of Hickory will honor Invisible Disabilities Week and celebrate the installation of a new message center at Zahra Baker All Children’s Playground at Kiwanis Park with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, October 21, at 5:30 p.m.
Earlier this year, the City of Hickory partnered with the Catawba County Partnership for Children to submit a grant application to fund a message center dedicated to sharing information for individuals with disabilities and their caregivers. In April 2021, Catawba Collaborative awarded a $2,000 grant for the project.
The Zahra Baker All Children’s Playground and Treehouse provide amenities that are accommodating to individuals with disabilities, including wheelchair-accessible ramps and rides, multiple ground-level activities, educational and sensory elements, and inclusive play products.
The new message center is part of a larger City initiative known as the Community Enhancement Project for Individuals with Disabilities, which examines existing offerings, identifies gaps in service, and aims to increase the quality of life for citizens by using innovation, best practices, and collaborative partnerships.
Over the last several months, the phased project has included community surveys and focus group research as part of the study.
Kiwanis Park is located at 805 Sixth Street SE in Hickory. For more information about Zahra Baker All Children’s Playground at Kiwanis Park, please visit https://www.hickorync.gov/kiwanis-park.
Photo: Zahra Baker All Children’s Playground at Kiwanis Park.
