THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2020 Page 11 Resident-designed Sonny Myers Playground hosts Grand Opening By Tara Vocino A seven-year-old resident got to build her own playground and saw it come to fruition during Wednesday’s Sonny Myers Park grand opening. Mina O’Brien, 7, was part of the planning process in January when she requested the color purple during a community forum in January. “I like the brightness of the purple,” Mina said. “It’s cool how the slide twists.” Her mother, Janelle, said they’ve been waiting seven years for this day to come. “The former playground had dangerous wooden equipment,” Janelle O’Brien said. Her husband, Brendan, said it’s one of the most impressive playgrounds in the city. “It nods During Wednesday’s grand opening of Sonny Myers Playground, city offi cials posed by the Cyclone, which was named after a former wooden roller coaster on Revere Beach. (Advocate photos by Tara Vocino) A Revere “America’s First Public Beach” license plate nods to history. Mina O’Brien, 7, loves the color purple in the design. to history,” Brendan O’Brien said, referring to the Revere license plate on the rocker. “I’m overjoyed that today is here.” Grant Program Supervisor Melissa Cryan said she chose the project for its accessibility to the disabled, climate change resiliency and environmental justice. According to Project Planner Elle Baker, the Massachusetts Executive Offi ce of Energy and Environmental Affairs awarded a $266,515 grant for the playground in October 2019. “Thanks to Melissa and her guidance,” Baker said excitedly. The seven-structure playground, featuring multiple play items per piece, is constructA playhouse is designed so that children on the autism spectrum can remove themselves from the noise. A Sonny Myers Playground sign is featured on a rocker that sways back and forth. ed with poured-in-place rubber. The playground is handicapped accessible with a wheelchair ramp and a playhouse, where children on the autism spectrum can remove themselves from the crowd, accordA cyclone, a Revere staple, allows children to climb up the tower, which builds momentum. ing to Baker. Green Acres Landscaping Assistant Project Manager Matthew Maiato, whose firm did demolition and irrigation, said it’s safer and longer lasting, estimating a 10-year lifespan. “I think the kids will enjoy a much better playground,” Maiato said. “It looks great.” —Tara Vocino may be reached at printjournalist1@gmail.com. A multiuser swing is one of the amenities that Sonny Myers Park, which opened Wednesday, features. A traditional swing set is available in addition to the modernized equipment.
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