The setup
Area resident April Chang said the development of Mitchell’s Landing, a pirate-themed playground named after her son who died in 2018, is nearly finished at Classen-Steubing Ranch Park in far north San Antonio.
Chang is co-director of local nonprofit the Mitchell Chang Foundation, which she and her husband, Marvin, began in memory of their son, who drowned at a local swim school.
The foundation raised $2.2 million to cover the creation of a free-use, public playground uniquely designed to accommodate kids of all ages and abilities.
Mitchell’s Landing features a pirate adventure theme, based on Mitchell’s love of pirates, Chang said.
The foundation’s directors ordered custom-designed playground equipment from Tennessee manufacturer PlayCore and have been working with city staff since fall 2022 to install the equipment on a half-acre parcel at Classen-Steubing Ranch Park.
The approach
Chang said in June there was a short pause on construction while city staff finalized designs for the playground’s shade covering.
“There is only a few weeks left of equipment installation. Over two-thirds of the playground have been installed,” Chang said. "Shade cover supports are being manufactured and will be installed once the equipment is in place.”
The outlook
Chang said final steps will include installing safety ground cover and shade cloth sails.
Chang thanked the city for providing the shade covering because it will especially benefit children coping with certain health conditions. She also said it is important for anyone to protect their skin early in life from the sun.
"Shade is very important because many individuals with disabilities or who have chronic illnesses cannot regulate their body temperatures due to medications or their inability to sweat. This increases risks of heat exhaustion and stroke,” Chang said.
She said the project has endured delays due to weather and other things out of their control, so she hesitates to offer a definitive opening date for Mitchell’s Landing.
"All vendors have their assigned work schedules and timelines, and all involved want to finish Mitchell’s Landing soon,” she said.
