HUNTERDON COUNTY, NJ – The Hunterdon County Board of Commissioners were all in attendance for the ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the grand opening of the new, all-inclusive ADA Accessible playground at Deer Path Park.
The event was held on June 29, and opening remarks were made by Commissioner Shaun Van Doren who said, “Today is an important milestone in the history of our Hunterdon County Park System, with the installation of the first, barrier free playground. A commitment to open space and farmland preservation, along with the ongoing stewardship of our parks, is something that has been shared by our residents, this Board and previous county Freeholder Boards before us.”
Motivational coach and author, Eric LeGrand, was the keynote speaker at the celebration.
LeGrand, a true symbol of resilience and determination, shared some motivational thoughts and his definition of success, “This park represents a place for people of all abilities to come and get away. A place for kids to come and enjoy themselves and get a break, by enjoying the outdoors. To me success is the peace of mind you get in knowing you did everything you could to be the best you can be. All that went into the building of this park, from its time in the early planning stages two years ago, until its final completion today, was hard work. To be a success, never stop working hard, whatever you do in life always strive to be the best you can be.”
Commissioner Director, Zach Rich during his remarks said, “This is the first all-inclusive Accessible Playground, anywhere in Hunterdon County, and I don’t think it will be the last! We are excited to unveil this brand-new, universal playground that has been designed to serve children of all abilities. Creating a playground that includes accessible and inclusive equipment, is the result of careful review and thoughtful planning. This is a project that benefits all children throughout Hunterdon County.”
“I want to thank all the people who have contributed to the planning, implementation, and management of this project, from the very beginning to final completion. A special thanks to the Director of Parks & Recreation, Dan Bush, and his team for all their contributions into making this project a reality,” Rich said.
