It’s a $1.2 million capital improvement project that’s billed as the largest inclusive play area in West Virginia, and the new facility should be completed in time for the Memorial Weekend at Wheeling Park.
Eriks Janelsins, the CEO of the Oglebay Foundation, revealed the play area will continue to be named the “Stifel Playground” in honor of the family’s tremendous support since the public park initially opened in 1925.
The Wheeling Park Commission was awarded grants from the federal Land & Water Conservation Fund, the Christopher Reeve Foundation, and the Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust, and U.S. Judge Fred and his wife Joan Stamp also contributed significantly to the new playground. Mrs. Stamp is a descendant of the Stifel family.
“Judge and Mrs. Stamp have stayed connected to the family’s history of philanthropy in our community, so this project is very special to them,” Janelsins said. “That’s one of many reasons why we can’t wait for the Memorial Day weekend when we will be prepared to re-dedicate the play area and then turn it over to the local kids to enjoy.
“The new playground area is going to pop with all new colors, have a softened surface, and thanks to the company we work with – GameTime – the kids who play there are going to be thrilled with all of the latest equipment,” he explained. “And there will be a lot of areas for natural play, too, so there will be room for the kids to just run and be active, and there are the inclusive play elements, too. It’s going to be about creative, mind-stimulating play while being the most inclusive and largest playground in the state of West Virginia.”
The play area is located above Good Lake and the park’s miniature golf course and has been lined with bushes for decades. A shelter with ADA restrooms has been in place for several years and, according to the renderings, a similar structure will be included in the new area, as well.
“When the project is finished it will be obvious that we’ve moved a lot of dirt, and we’ve even created a new parking lot that will be for this new playground. And there will be two different areas for the kids with one for the younger children, and another area for the older kids,” Janelsins said. “There’s still lots of swings in the designs, and also a new feature called the ‘Expression Swings.’ Those allow the children to swing with trusted adults so the experience stimulates the young mind in a positive way.
“When this free, new play area is completed, it will be a great way to start celebrating Wheeling Park’s 100th birthday,” he said. “This is a capital improvement project and the donor community really stepped up to make this a reality.”
Renovations at Wheeling Park have been taking place over the past several years, including a $1.3 million renovation to the Memorial Ice Rink in 2020 and a $3.2 million to the White Palace in 2023 that included the addition of Café 1925.
“Since we started having ‘FunFest Fridays’ a few years again, it reactivated Wheeling Park in a way that people loved and appreciated so much, and that’s why every Friday between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the park will be filled with local families again who enjoy the live music, the food, and all of the other activities,” Janelsins explained. “We’ve addressed every area of the park, and this new play area is going to attract even more people.
“There’s been an investment made with Good Lake with new paddle boats, and we’re going to address the concession stand there, too, and it’s all focused on our local residents,” he added. “These improvements will help make our community more attractive to folks looking to move here, and that’s one of the goals behind all of the improvements that have been made in the past five years or so.”
