Playground opens at Tom Bennett Park

When the Bradenton Kiwanis Club said it wanted to build a playground for all, it meant all children. 

But the new playground at Tom Bennett Park is so cool that the adults took turns on the equipment, too. Manatee County held a grand opening for the playground April 24.

Communication Division Manager Casey Zempel was testing out the talk tubes with a coworker who was on the other side of the jungle gym, while Kiwanis Governor-elect Jeremy Riehl climbed to the top of the jungle gym. 

The zip lines were occupied by children most of the morning. When Manatee County Commission Chair Mike Rahn saw both seats empty, he beelined from an adult conversation under the pavilion across the playground. 

Once seated, he zipped across the playground and back. 

What makes the playground at Tom Bennett Park exciting for children and adults alike is that it is fully accessible to those with disabilities. 

Rickena Gissendanner uses a wheelchair, but had no trouble spinning on the merry-go-round. 

Denise Griffin loves the padded artificial turf because walking doesn't come easy to her son Matthew. 

“I don’t have to worry as much because he’s safe,” Griffin said. “He trips and falls a lot, so this padding will be nice and helpful.”

Matthew Griffin is a member of the Kiwanis Aktion Club. As with any other Kiwanis Club, members learn leadership skills and serve the community. 

Aktion Club members performed three songs at the grand opening. The second song, “Tooty Ta,” was unfamiliar to most people in the audience, but that didn’t stop anyone from putting their thumbs up and sticking their tongues out as the lyrics instructed them to do.  

Club Advisor Jessica Kruse said the purpose of “Tooty Ta” is to show off your inner child and step outside your comfort zone. 

“These folks have to do it every single day,” Kruse said. “If you’ve got special needs, you’re outside your comfort zone.”