Plans for the playground will be unveiled during a groundbreaking ceremony in November. Mandy Pitts, the Communications Director for the city of Hickory said the playground will be all-inclusive.
"The thought was we need to have some playground equipment that is more exclusive for children that have different disabilities whether it is mental or physical, everything from a tree house where children that are wheelchair bound can go into and special swings that can actually pick up children in a wheelchair and let them swing, all sorts of different options," said Pitts.
A community fundraising campaign that kicked off in February has raised more than $170,000 for the playground. Pitts said the community suppport is overwhelming.
"She has become part of Hickory's family, especially with our police officers, and our district attorney's office, and everyone; the rescue ems squads, the fire departments who were instrumental in trying to find her and put together this piece, and I believe her Hickory family will be there tenfold and it will be a nice healing from all of this and always a way to remember her," said Pitts.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Zahra Baker All Children's Playground will take place on November 16 at the Kiwanis Park in Hickory. A community build will begin in the spring.
