What to know about Fond du Lac’s new accessible park, Miracle League baseball and other park updates
FOND DU LAC – After six years of fundraising, Fond du Lac's new accessible park is nearly complete.
The playground and baseball field at Plamore Park, 495 W. Division St., will open with a ribbon-cutting Sept. 12, according to the city of Fond du Lac Facebook page.
Helmed by Miracle League of Fond du Lac, the park will be accessible for everyone regardless of ability or experience, featuring a custom-designed Miracle League baseball field with a cushioned, rubberized and completely flat surface to prevent injuries and optimize use for people who are visually impaired or use mobility devices.
Here's more to know about Miracle League baseball, the accessible playground at Plamore Park and plans for upgrades at McDermott Park.
Everyone scores in Miracle League baseball
Miracle League and its field will support players with cognitive and physical disabilities and visual and hearing impairments, paired with a "buddy" to play baseball together, according to the Miracle League of Fond du Lac website.
The baseball games, in compliance with national Miracle League rules, each have two innings where every player gets to bat once each inning, either by pitch or by using a tee.
Every batter is safe, where no balls, strikes, fouls or outs are called, and every player rounds the bases and scores. The last player in the lineup gets a home run.
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The goal of the games, which last about an hour, is to build relationships among players and the community and promote physical activity.
Families can cheer their players on from the stands and meet other families in the community.
Plamore Park playground is also accessible
The Miracle League of Fond du Lac's new complex also includes an equally accessible, all-inclusive playground and a multi-purpose court for alternative activities, such as basketball or pickleball.
A small accessible parking lot alongside restrooms and a concession area is also included.
The complex was designed to support many disabilities, including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, visual impairments, hearing impairments, muscular dystrophy, autism, Down syndrome and amputations, among others.
The baseball dugout and all walkways are also wheelchair accessible.
The national Miracle League opened its first complex in Georgia in 2000 and now has more than 300 organizations in America, Puerto Rico, Canada and Australia.
Fond du Lac's chapter is offered by the nonprofit Brooke Industries Inc. The city council approved the recreation complex in 2017 and the league has been fundraising ever since.
After its September opening, Miracle League of Fond du Lac will host informational meetings for players, families and volunteers who want to get involved.
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What's next? McDermott Park plans upgrades with landscaping and ice rink.
The city is planning updates to McDermott Park on East Johnson Street, which could come to fruition by next spring, according to the memo on the July 24 Advisory Park Board agenda.
In addition to fresh landscaping, the plans include a synthetic ice rink approximately the same size and location as the previous rink that's been installed every winter.
City staff have recommended keeping both baseball diamonds at the park.
Daphne Lemke is the Streetwise reporter for the Fond du Lac Reporter. Contact her at dlemke@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Fond du Lac parks: Plamore Park's accessible baseball field opens soon
