206562_BluefieldParksandRec_FlipBook

Completed in August 2024, the Ridge Runner Fun Zone playground replaced a much beloved but outdated playground at Bluefield City Park, the Yakkity Yak Playground, built in the 1990s. It was designed specifically to capture the theme of Bluefield’s railroad legacy, and its name was drawn from the name of the Ridge Runner train in the park, another beloved icon of the City Park. The playground was built to include a variety of features that make it easily accessible to people of all ages and abilities. The Ridge Runner Fun Zone design team, led by Cunningham Recreation Project Manager Mitch Reno, put together a complete, research-based playground design that is ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant, inclusive, multi-generational, sensory filled, and designed for users of all ages and abilities. This train-themed inclusive playground features a GT PowerScape play structure with a Train Spring Rider, Merry Go All, Sensory Wave Seat, Sensory Cove Climber, ShadowPlay Sky Runner, PrimeTime Swings and Expression Swings, and is completed with integrated shade, benches, and custom Poured-in Place safety surfacing. The playground also includes a 40-yard dash, featuring a a running track with an automatic precision timing system that lets runners race and see the time it took them to run 40 yards. the ridge runner fun zone

In September, the Bluefield Parks and Recreation Department received the James L. McClelland Public Parks and Recreation Facility Award for the Ridge Runner Fun Zone playground at this year’s West Virginia Parks and Recreation Association (WVPRA) conference.

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