Another Substantial Donation Made to Soon-to-Open Inclusive Playground at Bridge; Grand Opening Set
By Jeff Toquinto on April 11, 2025
Goodwill continues to be the theme when it comes to the construction of the Medbrook Children’s Charity Inclusive Playground at The Bridge as work gears up with the grand opening set for next month.
During Wednesday’s meeting of The Bridge Advisory Committee, General Manager Droo Callahan of The Bridgeport Sports and Recreation 
Complex told those gathered that FieldTurf was making a nice donation to the project.
Complex told those gathered that FieldTurf was making a nice donation to the project.
“FieldTurf is going to donate landscape turf for the common areas, so I’m excited about that,” Callahan said. “Obviously, if you are string trimming grass it goes onto the playground surfaces, and you have to blow it off … They’re being a good partner.”
The partnership Callahan is talking about are the multiple projects FieldTurf has done at the complex, as well as future ones – all totaling in the millions of dollars. Even with that, the donation sets a tone seen throughout.
City officials have praised the grassroots effort that has seen hundreds of thousands of dollars of donated labor, material, and equipment be poured into the project that will provide a playground for everyone but with an emphasis on a safe playing area for children with special needs.
The price tag has been estimated at $1.5 million with a higher cost if donated materials are included. While the City of Bridgeport provided
seed money, the bulk of the dollars have come from donations, including six figures-plus from Medbrook Children’s Charity, which included naming rights.
seed money, the bulk of the dollars have come from donations, including six figures-plus from Medbrook Children’s Charity, which included naming rights.
The playground sits on roughly one acre of land directly beside the Citynet Center at The Bridge. It will have multiple areas to it that essentially make it almost into a park.
Callahan said the grand opening is planned for May 22. That would coincide with the end of the year party for the Challenger League of Bridgeport Little League. Challenger is the baseball league that provides the Little League experience for children with needs. As always, potential issues could arise to change that date.
Wednesday’s meeting covered numerous topics and projects at The Bridge. The group did not name a chairman to replace Jon Griffith, who stepped down from Council March 5, as one of Council’s representatives on the Bridge Advisory Committee. City Clerk Lauren Rogers said a representative will be appointed at the April 14 meeting and during the May 14 meeting of the group, a chairman will be appointed by members.
Editor's Note: Top photo shows city workers doing concrete work at the site, while a sign making sure individuals stay out until opening day is shown in the second image. Below is a shot of the playground taken from the roof of the Citynet Center.
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