Hidden River North in Adrian celebrates the opening, dedication of Darryl's Play Land

Brad Heineman, The Daily Telegram
·4 min read
The newly constructed and installed community playground at Hidden River North in Adrian is pictured Thursday afternoon. The playground features a jungle gym with several amenities such as a steering wheel and running tunnels, five slides of various heights and lengths and a set of swings.
The newly constructed and installed community playground at Hidden River North in Adrian is pictured Thursday afternoon. The playground features a jungle gym with several amenities such as a steering wheel and running tunnels, five slides of various heights and lengths and a set of swings.

ADRIAN — A ribbon-cutting ceremony in Adrian Thursday ushered in a new chapter of playtime for kids, while also recognizing a devoted community member at a mobile home park community.

Hidden River North, 975 W. Beecher St., officially opened its newly built community playground with the ribbon cutting assistance provided by Adrian Mayor Angie Sword Heath and three children with ties to the mobile home community. Twins Landon and Bentley Wilder, 8, and sister CJ Wilder, 4, all helped Heath clip the ribbon that opened Darryl’s Play Land to all those seeking to have a fun time. The playground, which has been installed for at least one month now, is named after 23-year maintenance worker Darryl Wesener, who said he enjoys going to work each and every day at the mobile home park community.

Adrian mayor Angie Sword Heath, right, is assisted during a ribbon cutting event Thursday by twins, Landon and Bentley Wilder, both 8, and younger sister CJ Wilder, 4, at Hidden River North in Adrian. The ribbon cutting was for the mobile home community's newly installed playground, seen in the background.
Adrian mayor Angie Sword Heath, right, is assisted during a ribbon cutting event Thursday by twins, Landon and Bentley Wilder, both 8, and younger sister CJ Wilder, 4, at Hidden River North in Adrian. The ribbon cutting was for the mobile home community's newly installed playground, seen in the background.

The naming and unveiling of the Darryl’s Play Land sign were all a surprise to Wesener.

"I had no idea," he said. "Who would have thought I would have a playground named after me? I didn’t have a clue.

"It’s fun to come to work. You can do something different every day. One day you’re cutting grass, weed whacking, working on a house or something, or you're doing stuff like working on a playground."

The playground, made with modern equipment and material that will not mold or rot, was constructed and installed this spring to replace Hidden River North’s previous playground which was severely damaged last year in a passing storm. Some swings and other small items of the playground, which were more than 20 years old, were the only things left standing in the aftermath of the storm. The mobile home park’s maintenance crew consisting of Wesener, Ritchie, Ricky and Nathan Swander and others, were recognized at the event for their work in preparing the community for the installation of a new playground.

Darryl Wesener, a 23-year maintenance worker at Adrian mobile home community Hidden River North, stands next to a sign designating the mobile home community's newly built playground as Darryl's Play Land. A ribbon cutting for the playground was also conducted.
Darryl Wesener, a 23-year maintenance worker at Adrian mobile home community Hidden River North, stands next to a sign designating the mobile home community's newly built playground as Darryl's Play Land. A ribbon cutting for the playground was also conducted.

“The only reason the old playground was taken out was because of storm damage last year that took the playground out,” Wesener said. “It’s been about one year of getting everything in the right place to do this. A third party company provided the playground, but our maintenance team did all of the cement, landscaping and other work to make this look halfway decent.”

By the end of the ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony, multiple children were already swinging on the swings, hanging from the monkey bars, sliding down slides and running through the jungle gym. A potluck meal was also served inside the mobile home community’s lodge.

The playground features a jungle gym with several amenities including a steering wheel and running tunnels, five slides of various heights and lengths and a set of swings. Landon Wilder said his favorite parts of the playground were the running tunnels and the tallest of the five slides.

“It was kind of boring when we didn’t have a playground,” he said.

There are also picnic tables around the playground where people can sit and eat. Next year, canopies will be installed over the picnic table areas to provide shade for people sitting, Wesener said.

The community event was one of the first to have such a large turnout hosted at Hidden River North since the COVID-19 pandemic was traced in Lenawee County in March 2020. Judy Froehlich, Hidden River North’s community manager for 17 years, said she usually organizes an annual summer picnic for the community. This year, it seemed fitting to have the picnic coincide with the playground ribbon cutting and dedication.

“For many of the people here, this is one of the first community events they’ve been to since COVID,” she said. “I’m just thrilled to death to see so many people that are here.”

The playground, she said, will be well used by area children and will be well maintained by the mobile home community’s maintenance crew.

“The maintenance crew keeps the park looking beautiful for all to enjoy," Froelich said. "Especially Darryl. He’s been here the longest and everything he’s done he’s completed it with a lot of passion, and this beautiful playground has been his dream. To make it nice for Darryl, we’ve named the playground Darryl’s Play Land."

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Hidden River North celebrates the opening of Darryl's Play Land