The City of Chattanooga, Hamilton County, community advocates, and project partners have officially opened Harvesting Inclusive Play at Jack Benson Heritage Park in East Brainerd.
Spanning nearly 17,000 square feet across two distinct play areas, the $2.5 million destination is the largest fully accessible play space in Hamilton County, engineered specifically for shoulder-to-shoulder play for children of all abilities.
Inspired by Chattanooga Fire Department Captain Skyler Phillips and his son Noah, the project turned a family dream into a regional destination.
Exceeding basic ADA requirements with 100% accessibility across all ground-level and elevated structures, the facility features a 6,000-square-foot playground tailored for children ages 2–5, the county's only municipal inclusive play space for this age group, and an 11,000-square-foot playground for ages 5–12.
Design features include poured-in-place rubber surfacing, custom double-wide ramped superstructures, sensory panels, cooperative games, accessible musical instruments, and specialized handrails.
"Ten years is a long time to hold onto a dream, and there were certainly moments when I wondered if we would ever get here. Now, as we get ready to open the gates, I find myself feeling less proud than grateful,” said Captain Skyler Phillips, parent advocate. “Grateful for everyone who believed in this vision, grateful for every person who helped along the way, and most of all, grateful for the children and families who will give this place its purpose. Leading this project has been one of the greatest honors of my life, and I am thankful to be a small part of something that will bring joy to so many for years to come.”
The $2.5 million playground was made possible through a robust public-private partnership, including $2 million in combined public funding: $980,000 from the City of Chattanooga (including a $25,000 ARPA allocation from then-Councilman Darrin Ledford), $800,000 from Hamilton County, and $250,000 from the State of Tennessee Hamilton County delegation.
Additional support includes a $440,000 PlayCore grant, fiscal sponsorship from the Chattanooga Kiwanis Youth Foundation, and contributions from the Lyndhurst Foundation, Riverview Foundation, Stowers Cat, First Horizon Bank, and dozens of local businesses and individuals.
"I am absolutely thrilled to help celebrate the grand opening of the Harvesting Inclusive Play at Jack Benson Heritage Park! This extraordinary milestone is a true testament to Captain Skyler Phillips's unwavering dedication, vision, and tireless passion," said Darrin Ledford, Deputy Chief of Staff for the City of Chattanooga and former District 4 City Council Member. “This day proves the power of commitment, and we thank every partner, sponsor, and team member whose collaboration made this dream a vibrant reality for all families in our community to enjoy!”
Together with the newly completed $1.68 million Heritage Park Pervious Parking Lot project, recent public-private infrastructure investments at Heritage Park total nearly $3.5 million (including $25,000 in City in-kind labor). The parking lot models sustainable infrastructure, using a permeable pavement system for Low-Impact Development (LID) stormwater controls to boost groundwater recharge and limit flood runoff.
Built for complete site connectivity, the lot features expanded ADA parking stalls exceeding code, direct multi-use trail connections, and utility capacity upgrades to support future EV charging stations and maintenance operations.
Adjoining the new play facilities, Jack Benson Heritage Park offers shaded benches, picnic areas, green space, a dog park, and the Don Eaves Heritage House Arts and Civic Center, completing an all-season community hub built for generations to enjoy.