Savannah’s Playground set for Labor Day grand opening

Savannah’s Playground, an “enabling park” designed to meet the needs of disabled children, will host a ribbon-cutting on Labor Day weekend after an 18-month effort and $1.4 million donation campaign.

The park likely will have a soft open this month. Savannah’s Playground has been built behind Crabtree Gymnasium, near Market Common.

“The plan right now for a grand opening is Labor Day weekend, but I’m sure that before then there’ll be kids playing on it, probably in another week or so,” Mayor John Rhodes said.

The park is named after Savannah Thompson, who has Williams syndrome, which is described as a genetic condition that can cause cardiovascular disease, developmental delays and learning disabilities, according to Williams-syndrome.org.

Thompson suffered physical and mental setbacks at age 4 after her brain did not receive oxygen for 23 minutes during a surgery. Savannah’s father, Lance Thompson, said Rhodes has been instrumental to building the park.

“The mayor has just been wonderful to take this initiative on with the city of Myrtle Beach and the city council,” Thompson said. “We’re just honored that they have allowed Savannah’s name to be associated with it.”

The park has a special section dedicated to music, with different percussive instruments that visiting children can play. This component of the park also is an honor for Savannah, Thompson said.

“Savannah’s very musically inclined, so anything that has to do with music really interests her,” he said.

Thompson also said the park will open up options for visiting families that may arrive in Myrtle Beach with disabled children.

Jennifer Averette, the Executive Director of Grand Strand Miracle League, said she will be at the grand opening to support Savannah and Rhodes. Savannah has been a long-time player in Miracle League games, Averette said.

Miracle League also has a park that is accessible to disabled children, but it is only open during Miracle League events.

“It’s a great addition to the area,” Averette said. “It’s definitely bigger, and it’s open all times of the day, and it’s in a great location.”

After the grand opening, the park will enter into a second phase of development to add on an addition expected to cost $500,000, Rhodes said. The campaign for donations will begin in either late fall or early next year.

For the first phase, private donors, the state, Horry County and the city of Myrtle Beach all chipped in.

“It’s been a joint effort from a lot of people to put this together,” Rhodes said.

This story was originally published July 25, 2016 at 4:41 PM with the headline "Savannah’s Playground set for Labor Day grand opening."