Kade’s Playground Breaks Ground on New Space for Its Youngest Visitors

Community-funded Stabiae expansion will give toddlers their own place to play, with a possible opening around Thanksgiving.

By The Jefferson Review

HERCULANEUM — Twelve years to the day after the original groundbreaking for Kade’s Playground, community leaders and supporters gathered again Sunday, October 11, to begin its next chapter: a dedicated play area for the youngest children.

The new Stabiae expansion at William C. Haggard Park will give toddlers and preschoolers space to explore while continuing the playground’s mission of bringing children of all abilities together.

For Herculaneum Ward 2 Alderman Chris Baker, the project answers a request parents have made for years.

When the playground opened in 2015, its Pompeii section offered space intended for children ages 2 to 5. But as older children ran through the playground playing tag and “the floor is lava,” families began asking for a separate area where smaller children could play more comfortably.

“So we always had a vision of, you know, once we got this open and got the splash zone open, to kind of make an area for toddlers,” Baker told The Jefferson Review following the ceremony.

A Little Space of Their Own

Baker said the new area will sit near the playground’s musical instruments and feature a seating wall around its perimeter.

The location is intended to give younger children their own space while allowing parents and caregivers to keep an eye on older children using the main playground.

The concept has been discussed since shortly after the original playground opened, Baker said. Other improvements, including the splash zone and pavilion, came first as organizers worked through the projects in phases.

Fundraising specifically for the new area began approximately two years ago.

Baker estimated that community fundraising brought in about $145,000 toward an approximately $185,000 project, with the city covering the remaining cost.

During the ceremony, organizers recognized supporters across several giving levels. Developmental Disability Advocates, the Jefferson Foundation and Twin City Toyota were recognized in the Trailblazer Club, while Autumn Ridge, Bloomsdale Bank and Imperial Fence were recognized in the Explorer Club. Numerous additional businesses, organizations, families and individuals were thanked for their contributions.

Building on an Inclusive Mission

Speakers returned throughout the ceremony to the belief that every child deserves a place to play and belong.

Organizers reported that the playground draws more than 50,000 visitors over a six-month period, illustrating both its popularity and the need for additional space.

A representative of Developmental Disability Advocates said the organization supported the original playground and welcomed the chance to expand safe, accessible and inclusive play opportunities for young children.

Mayor Ryan Wright thanked Baker for the time he has invested in the playground and park, including volunteering to operate the splash pad before the city had its current park superintendent.

“It’s very nice for people to get together, and make a good place for kids to have fun, to remember, to enjoy,” Wright said.

He also thanked the community for donating both time and resources to make the expansion possible.

Why Stabiae?

Park board member Sarah Baker explained that the expansion’s name continues the Roman theme woven into Kade’s Playground.

She said the theme took shape around 2009 through work with landscape architect Jay Doty, who wanted the playground to teach visitors about the history behind Herculaneum’s name and the geography of Mount Vesuvius.

The existing playground incorporates Herculaneum and Pompeii. Stabiae, another ancient Roman community near the Bay of Naples, provides the inspiration for this next addition.

Sarah Baker described the expansion as another step in the playground’s continuing story, giving its youngest visitors a dedicated place to explore, imagine and grow.

Construction Could Begin This Week

Baker said crews could begin work during the week following the ceremony, with a goal of opening the new area around Thanksgiving if weather allows.

If conditions prevent a fall opening, he said the area could open next spring with a ceremony.

Other ideas are being explored for the park, including a regulation disc golf course near the creek and an activity wall where older children could throw or kick balls and play games. Baker described those as potential future improvements.

For now, Sunday’s groundbreaking marked the next step in a project sustained by community support.

Baker thanked residents for their donations, volunteer work and encouragement over the years.

“What they will know is there’ll be a place to play for them,” he said during the ceremony, describing the children who will someday use the new area. “And then ultimately that is what Kade’s Playground has always been about.”

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