The Kids Cove Playground at Mattson Lower Harbor Park in Marquette is pictured. (Journal photo by Jaymie Depew)

MARQUETTE — The Marquette City Commission on Monday unanimously passed a resolution in support of applying for a grant to build a universally accessible playground at Mattson Lower Harbor Park.

Commissioners Jenna Smith and Jenn Hill were excused from the meeting.

The inclusive playground would include equipment like adaptive swings, as well as access ramps and smooth, firm surfacing designed to absorb shock so that children in wheelchairs can use all playground stations.

A Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund development grant is expected to fund $300,000, or 50 percent, of the project, which calls for the replacement of the aged Kids Cove Playground, which is currently at the park.

The Marquette Playgrounds for All group has committed to raising a local match for the grant through a fundraising campaign. The final grant application is due April 1.

Alice Reynolds, a member of Marquette Playgrounds for All, said her sister who has polio initially came up with the idea of creating an inclusive playground.

“I believe that people from all over will come use this playground,” she said.

Reynolds said there will be colorful equipment at the playground and it’ll be centrally located so caregivers and users alike can get there easily.

Creating an inclusive playground has been on the city’s agenda for several years.

In November 2016, the city commission voted in favor of building the playground at Mattson Park instead of Presque Isle Park, where the project was first proposed to be built.

In January, the commission adopted the city’s 5-year Parks and Recreation Master Plan, which prioritizes all accessibility projects within the park system. Incorporating a universally accessible playground at Mattson Park is listed as a high priority in the plan.

The Marquette Parks and Recreation Advisory Board voted earlier this month to recommend that the city commission support this grant application and approve the resolution.

Jon Swenson, Marquette’s Community Services director, said the timeline of construction is dependent on whether fundraising efforts are successful. Then, once a grant agreement is signed, he said the city will have three years to complete the project.

“If the funds become available within a year’s time, we could have a project pretty quickly,” he said.

Commissioner Dave Campana said an inclusive playground will benefit the city.

“The park that we currently have in the Lower Harbor is old and is aging, and it shows that it’s worn out,” he said. “I’d be very happy and I think most people in the city will be very happy to see a new playground there, and as long as we’re doing a playground to have it accessible for everyone, inclusive for everyone makes it even more desirable. We’re fortunate to have this group that’s going to come up with this large match for the grant. It’s overwhelming that we’re able to do this.”

Commissioner Paul Schloegel said the idea of an inclusive playground hits close to home as his dad had polio.

“You don’t know until you don’t have access to something like that how much it would mean, whether it’s a teenager, adult or a young child, to have that time, so this is really something that’s going to be looked at as a fabulous project,” he said.