One family is a step closer to bringing an ADA-certified recreational park to reality
By Camille Acevedo
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BUTTE COUNTY, California (KHSL) — One family is a step closer to bringing an ADA-certified recreational park to Butte County.
Action News Now spoke with the creators of Avie’s Place on how the process is coming along.
“The forgotten-about kids when everyone is having their Christmas they are in their hospital room fighting for their life,” Louie said.
Louie and Nicole Wallace are the creators of Avie’s Place.
Avie’s Place is a future 2-acre disability act-certified park and playground in Oroville. The park is designed for families of children with disabilities and medically fragile children. It’s a park that was inspired by the memory of their daughter Avalynn Wallace.
“We had a daughter who was diagnosed with leukemia at age 4 in 2016. But then ended up losing her battle to leukemia in 2019,” Nicole said.
The Wallace family told Action News Now that they struggled to find parks for their daughter to enjoy.
“When we would bring Avalynn there, her sisters would run around and play, and she felt that she was less than. That she was a baby and the park was not for her. She was more disappointed going to the park than enjoying it because she couldn’t do anything,” Louie said.
Sparking the birth of Avie’s Place, the Wallace family decided they wanted to give back to this community in northern California in a recreational way.
“When we started designing this park, we started thinking in our heads and in our minds what would Avalynn be able to do, what would she enjoy, and how she could play with her sisters. And so every aspect of this park, we have not only created it for the sick child, for the handicapped child, but for the siblings and children to be able to play together throughout the park,” Louie said.
90 percent of the park would be completely handicap accessible, from the swings to the slides. The park would include a 3-story megastructure, an imagination square with themed houses, a splash pad, an amphitheater, a climbing wall, tunnels, a picnic area, and rentable cabins. And of course the playgrounds, one dedicated to ages 5–12 and the other for toddlers. These are just among the many activities.
The Wallace family said that they have made progress in making this park happen. But there is one issue they are facing, which has to do with money.
The Wallace family just submitted plans and permits to the county to move forward with the project. However, they are seeking financial help from the community for the project to break ground now that the money they have is drying up. The Wallace family need 4 million dollars to complete the park.
“We hope that this park is here after we are long gone and that our children get to enjoy this park, that your children get to enjoy the park, and that Avalynn’s legacy goes on for a long time,” Louie said.
The Wallaces said they are looking into applying for grants and donors in the meantime. For more information and to contact the Wallace family about Avie’s Place, visit: avalynnshope.org
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