A local

committee organizing the first playground in Peachtree

City designed specifically for children with special

needs is moving forward with its plans now that a site

has been officially determined.

The All

Children's Playground Committee recommended Picnic Park,

behind City Hall and the library, as the best site for

the facility, and the Recreation Commission formally

approved that recommendation at last week's regular

monthly meeting.

A number of

sites were considered, and Picnic Park was found to have

a number of advantages, such as better accessibility, a

flat play area and considerable parking, as well as a

covered pavilion nearby.

The

committee is moving quickly, meeting nearly every week.

Now that the site is official, work can move forward on

the brochure and promotional materials that will be made

to help solicit funds from various businesses and

individuals in the community.

Contact has

been made with a number of playground companies and

vendors, and the committee is looking at a number of

possibilities in its search for what it thinks is the

best equipment for the most children, according to

committee chairman Colleen Sugar.

Some

traditional playground features will need to be

fine-tuned for this facility, she added, such as adding

ramps instead of steps in many areas, including paneled

stations where children can stand or sit in one place and

play, and avoiding wood chips or other hard surfaces

beneath their feet that could make it more difficult for

them to move around.

"The

right surface can cost almost as much as structures

themselves," she said.

The

committee is expecting a cost of more than $100,000 by

the time the project is completed. Donations are already

being accepted through the Recreation Department.

Just how

much money is raised will determine how elaborate the

playground can be, with possible features such as

separate areas for children of different ages, Sugar

said.

A number of

local groups such as Brownies and Boy Scouts have

expressed an interest in helping get the project going,

said Sugar. The committee will be contacting all of the

service groups and civic organizations in the community

as well.

The only

definite fund-raising event on the calendar right now is

a golf tournament scheduled for Oct. 9 at one of the

courses in Peachtree City.