MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Myrtle Beach city council will decide if $350,000 will be donated to Savannah’s playground Tuesday morning. For months the playground has looked the same because there isn’t enough money for the project to move forward.
If council votes to approve the funding, that would be enough money to finish phase one of the playground.
The idea for the project got started about two years ago when Mayor John Rhodes named the playground after Savannah Thompson.
She’s a student at Socastee High who has Williams Syndrome. When she was 4-years-old, complications from a surgery gave her brain damage and forced her into a coma. Since then, she has fought against the odds and made a name for herself in the community; especially in the sports world with Special Olympics.
City spokesman Mark Kruea says the new playground will add something unique to Myrtle Beach.
“I think this will be a unique playground to South Carolina. I don’t think there will be anything like it when it will be complete. The goal really is to serve children of all physical abilities. It is designed to be a complete ADA compliant enabling playground that is suitable for children with a disability or a handicap. But other children, children without those limitations can also use the playground.”
The overall cost of the project is three million. Phase one alone costs 1.5 million. City spokesman Mark Kruea says he wouldn’t be surprised if council approves the money.
“City council has talked about it in a positive way. I cannot predict what the vote will be but they’ve at least gotten to the point where putting it on the agenda is a possibility so we get phase one complete and that may drive fundraising for the future phase of the project once people what a great resource it is, what an enabling playground is so well received.”
Kruea said the playground should open in June.