The Catalina Rotary Club's Centennial Project
Strives to Create the Miracle of Experience

What is Milagro Playground?

To commemorate Rotary’s 100^th anniversary, Catalina Rotary Club is bringing to Arizona its first fully integrated and universally accessible playground for children (tots-12) with special needs. The playground is being built in Jacobs Park, a regional park near Miracle Mile and Prince Road.  Its state-of-the-art play and recreational opportunities will be available to all the citizens of Tucson and surrounding areas of Pima County. “Milagro Playground” was named for the miracle of play it will bring to ALL of Tucson’s children. This universally accessible playground will create a model play environment where individuals with and without disabilities can participate together in exciting recreational activities and healthy outdoor exercise.

What does universally accessible mean?

The playground is designed so that at least 70% of the play activities can be enjoyed by children with physical disabilities without having to leave their support equipment behind. Its equipment and play areas will also be so sensory rich that children with developmental and/or sensory disabilities can actively, safely, and enjoyably participate with peers without disabilities.  Social inclusion will be the result. Parents with disabilities who have had to watch their children play from the sidelines will be able to share in their play on the ramped play areas.

What's been done so far?

Phase One – the Catalina Rotary Phase, includes wheelchair accessible picnic tables, a 720-foot Challenge Circuit that surrounds the park, a Triple-Shootout basketball court with baskets of varying heights, seat walls and a Tot Lot.  The Tot Lot includes a sand and water play area, swings for tots, climbing structure with slide, a teeter-totter, diggers, surfaces made of rubberized cement (Tot Turf), and a shade structure.

What's next?

Phase Two is the play area for  5-12 year old children.  The area will feature ramped play modules and discovery learning stations.
Completion date: September 2005.

Artist's rendering of the play area for ages 5-12.

What will Milagro Playground cost?

Total cost of the project, including in-kind services, is nearly $750,000. 

Who has participated in the project?

The playground represents a collaboration of government, business, private parties and non-profit foundations.  The land for the park was donated by the City of Tucson, which will maintain and insure it in perpetuity.  The City of Tucson Parks and Recreation Department and former Vice Mayor Kathleen Dunbar championed the project. The Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities also contributed significantly to Milagro through a grant from the State of Arizona. Committed Rotarians and non-Rotarians alike have contributed thousands of hours of professional “in kind” services.  Examples include:

Thanks to the following contractors for donating their time
and services to Milagro Playground:

Contractor: Linear Construction - Tom Alfonso
Surveyor: Everett Trueblood
Fencing: Biff Baker - Bill Baker
Irrigation: The Groundskeeper - Paul Mueller
Excavation: R.W. Strunk Excavating - "Buckey" Strunk
Paving: Best Paving Co. - Tim Knutson
Concrete & Seatwalls: Creations Masonry - Domingo "Mingo" Torres
Decorative Stone: Kalamazoo Materials - Chris Carriuolo

Thanks to the following foundations
for providing financial support:

Long Realty Cares Foundation
The Stocker Foundation
Christopher and Dana Reeves Paralysis Foundation
Tucson Association for the Development of Residential Environments, Inc.
Tucson Conquistadors
 Tucson Rodeo Foundation
Gannett Foundation
 The Wings Like Eagles Foundation
The Rotary International Foundation
 The Port Elizabeth Rotary Foundation
Alcoa Foundation
PICOR Charitable Foundation

Milagro Playground Tot Lot is dedicated.
Milagro Playground wins Common Ground Award.
Read about the Milagro Playground groundbreaking ceremony.
The parking lot has been striped! Click here for photos.
The next step: tree removal.
Photos of construction work.