Ribbon cut for inclusive Ellis Field playground

VILLAGE OF EAST SYRACUSE – A ribbon cutting was held July 31 for the new inclusive playground at East Syracuse’s Ellis Field Park.
Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon was present for the grand opening, and at the podium he commended the vibrancy of the East Syracuse community as a whole, its dozens of recreational programs, the leadership of the municipal team, and the beauty and importance of Ellis Field Park as one of its gathering places, especially with the introduction of its accessible equipment.
East Syracuse Mayor Lorene Dadey thanked the county executive in return for helping her village secure the funding needed to purchase and set up the new equipment.
“We truly appreciate it,” she said, adding that she has a “great” board of trustees around her and a “second-to-none” parks and recreation department. “This inclusive playground means so much to our community. It doesn’t leave a child out, so families that have somebody that needs equipment like this can come here and enjoy.”
While pointing to how kids were ready to have at it and hop on the playground equipment as soon as the scissors touched the ribbon, even despite the rain falling that morning, McMahon went on to congratulate the Village of East Syracuse team and said the county is all about “thinking differently.”
“We understand that there are many residents that have different challenges, but those aren’t challenges that can’t be overcome,” McMahon said. “Investing in infrastructure and investing in equipment to make sure that every child—no matter what those challenges are—has an opportunity to enjoy this community is something that we’re very proud of.”
The new playground includes a merry-go-round with handles called a Ten Spin because of its number of seats and spots to stand. There are also musical fixtures like outdoor bongos, a jumbo xylophone and chimes.
Dave DelPriore, who’s in charge of park and building maintenance for East Syracuse, said the addition of the inclusive equipment was “a long time coming.”
He said the equipment was received last fall but was stored all winter and most of the spring. The fixtures purchased from Denzak Recreational Design & Supply were then put in after the village’s department of public works excavated the rectangular space, and DelPriore installed the surrounding borders once the DPW dumped out and spread 10 one-ton bags of rubber mulch, which offers about seven inches of cushioning material.
DelPriore said the new playground has already been enjoyed plenty by children in the community ever since it opened about a month and a half prior to the official ribbon cutting.
Tom Richardson, the director of East Syracuse’s parks and recreation department, said the playground welcomes everybody and noticeably adds to the always-improving park with its fun, brightly colored equipment.
Keith Caiello, the assistant director of the parks and rec department, seconded the notion that the new equipment brings new life to the park.
“It’s exciting,” Caiello said. “It almost like rejuvenates everything, and of course there’s the inclusive part, so we can cater to every kid and person that comes into our facility.”
There are plans to also establish a path leading from the main sidewalk to the rectangular playground so wheelchairs can make it over more easily.
The hours for Ellis Field Park, located at 500 McCool Ave., are typically 8 a.m. to dark Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to dark on weekends.