Photo by Deb Gau Mack Kubat tries out the new roller table at Legion Field Park in Marshall on Thursday. The rollers, which kids can slide across, were one of two new pieces of inclusive playground equipment installed at the park last fall.

MARSHALL — Briggin Kubat was all smiles on the new merry-go-round at the playground at Legion Park Thursday afternoon.

The merry-go-round was built flush with the ground, and designed so his wheelchair could fit on it.

The merry-go-round was one of two new pieces of playground equipment built at Legion Field Park last fall. Marshall city staff say they hope this is the start for more inclusive city parks.

Families and city officials gathered at the park for a grand opening.

“We’re really proud of this,” Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes said at a grand opening for the inclusive playground. “Parks are for children, but they’re for all children.”

Besides the wheelchair accessible merry-go-round, a table with rollers kids could slide on was also built at Legion Field Park. The experience of rolling across the table brings a sensory element to the playground, said Marshall Parks Superintendent Preston Stensrud.

The two new pieces of playground equipment were also built on a pad of artificial turf, which is easier for wheelchairs to roll over.

Stensrud said the goal for the city was to add inclusive playground elements to more parks in Marshall.

“We really want to use this as the example for the next park,” Byrnes said.

Stensrud said hopefully by the end of the year more accessible playground equipment would be added at Independence Park.

Support from area businesses, community organizations and families all helped make it possible to add to the Legion Field Park playground, Stensrud said.

The list of supporters included United Way of Southwest Minnesota, the Marshall Community Foundation, Marshall Hy-Vee, Hess Concrete, Sunrise Rotary, the Deutz Family, and Myles and Amelia Schnoor.

Families at the grand opening said it was good to have more ways for kids with disabilities to play. Besides the new equipment at Legion Field Park and the playgrounds at Southview Elementary, there aren’t a lot of options for accessible playground equipment in Marshall.

“Hopefully this will be the start, and we’ll have more places to play,” said Briggin’s mom Sarah Kubat.