By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Women Who Lead has started the first of four phases of improvements for Sunrise Park.
Sunrise Park is more than 60 years old and needs updated equipment and repairs. Women Who Lead has adopted the park as a service project, Nancy Jeter, president of Women Who Lead, said.
The Hays nonprofit is rallying sponsors to help improve the park at 19th and MacArthur Road.
"Now it will address people of all ages, from infants in a mommy/baby expression swing all the way up to playing a basketball game with your friends and getting these kids off their devices," Jeter said.
"It will form social bonds, and kids will play with each other and interact with each other, and develop some really neat friendships and bonding with each other."
A nine-hole disc golf course has already been completed, and Jeter said it has already been used for a tournament.
"It being used so much by parents with their kids, and kids after school," Jeter said. "There's a grandfather who goes out there and plays with his grandson."
Work on the baseball fields and the installation of a new basketball court are underway. The basketball court will be completed within the next couple of months, depending on weather conditions. The baseball field will be regraded.
Women Who Lead also paid for a new sign with lighting and landscaping.
Women Who Lead is seeking donations and sponsors for the second phase of the improvements.
These will include the purchase and installation of playground equipment, including an expression swing, spinner, typhoon slide, climbing cubes, zip line and slide with spinatorium.
Jeter said Women Who Lead, in partnership with the city parks department, selected playground equipment that is not available anywhere else in Ellis County.
"The latest, fun pieces of equipment around," she said.
The expression swing, often called a "mommy/baby swing," is for babies and their caregivers. The infant faces the adult, and they swing together.
"They've done studies on that, that it helps in the development of the child because they develop a relationship. They look in the adult's face, and they're able to talk and have focused learning there," Jeter said.
Jeter said they wanted a tall slide. They chose one 22 feet tall, with sides to provide greater safety for children.
The zip line will be slightly taller than the one at the ARC Park to accommodate children of all ages, Jeter said.
The spinner is reminiscent of a merry-go-round, but with additional safety features.
Women Who Lead hopes to host a back-to-school picnic and a ribbon-cutting for phase two in late summer.
The third phase will include final improvements to the baseball field, including new fencing, backstops, benches and signs.
The Born Learning Trail, which was installed by the Women Who Lead as their first project in 2018, will be refreshed. The trail helps young children learn concepts such as shapes and colors.
Tabletop games such as chess and checkers, along with city street outlines for children to play with toy cars, will be added.
Women Who Lead also hope to add a playhouse, a small in-ground trampoline and agility workout equipment for adults.
The last phase will include lighting and security cameras. The Women Who Lead sponsored similar security improvements at the ARC Park and Hays Dog Park. Both helped reduce vandalism in those areas.
If you would like to donate to the Sunrise Park project, click the "Become a Sponsor" or "Directed Donation" tab on the Women Who Lead website. Please indicate on the form that you would like your donation directed to Sunrise Park.
You can also mail donations to Women Who Lead at PO Box 453, Hays, KS 67601.
Editor's note: Cristina Janney is a member of Women Who Lead.