Field

Field of Dreams

Therapeutic, Recreational, Accessible, Education (& fun) for All Children

Field of Possibilities

Tanger Fields

Text Box: December 2005. Rotarians ask Tanger Staff to make a wish list of items that they need. Rotarians instructed the staff to “Think Big.” This “wish list” contained all the items that Tanger Staff was needed and would benefit the children at Tanger School. December 2005: Plymouth Rotary A.M. allocated $1000 to Tanger Center staff, to pay a stipend to Carey Baker, Landscape Architect, to create a Master Plan for an outdoor therapeutic playground. (Carey is a partner at Beckett & Raeder, , 535 West William St., Suite 101, Ann Arbor, MI 48103, 734.663.2622.) Other Therapeutic Playground Carey Baker has designed: Ford/UAW Childcare and Learning Centers, 13 Facilities University of Michigan Flint Campus, Early Childhood Development Center Wayne Westland Community Schools, Roosevelt McGrath Center Special Needs Area South Lyon Comm. Schools, Kent Lake Elementary School Since January 2006: Tanger Staff, Carey Baker, architect, Rotarians, and representatives from Plymouth-Canton Schools have met to develop the design for the outdoor space at Tanger. The entire staff at Tanger Center, teachers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech therapists, lent their expertise to every element of the design. Dr. James Ryan, superintendent, and Tom Sklut, development director, have been also been part of project discussions. Tom Sklut, acted as liaison to Dr. Ryan Additional Uses: Carey Baker designed a space that would not only serve Tanger students, but Tanger families, senior citizens. The Playground & Park will be available for use by the community-at-large during non-school hours. December 2006: A draft of the playground design has been approved by Tanger Staff. Architect, Carey Baker provided a final draft of the plan. Plans include details of how the playground can be built in phases, to accommodate fundraising

Tanger Fields:

Therapeutic, Educational, Accessible,

Recreational Fun for All Children

Phase 1—Completed . 2005-06

Text Box: 2006. Carey Baker completed the plans for Tanger Fields. The plans were shared with Rotary Club of Plymouth A.M. The plans were also shared with Dr. James Ryan, Plymouth-Canton School’s Superintendent. School board trustees individually met with Rotarians, toured Tanger School and were given a overview of the project, which included a Q & A of Board Members’ concerns and questions. January 2007. A formal presentation of the plans was made to the Plymouth-Canton School Board, at a School Board meeting. The board approved the project.

Text Box: Tanger Fields Project Timeline

Phase 2—Completed . 2006-07

Phase 3—Completed . 2007

Text Box: September—November 2007. Rotarians met with civil engineers, in order to create a site plan which will specify costs and the phases of the project.

Text Box: Fall 2008: 1st piece of Equipment will be placed at Tanger School— Ribbon Cutting for the Project—TBA May 9, 2009: Train Installed June 3, 2009: Train dedicated at Tanger School Family Picnic

Phase 4—Completed . 2007

Phase 6 . Fall 2008 / Spring 2009

For 30 years, Tanger School has been offering educational and therapeutic services for children and support for families.

For 10 years, Rotary Club of Plymouth A.M. has been fortunate to be a partner in many activities to the Tanger School family.

Now, Tanger School Staff and Rotary Club of Plymouth A.M. are happy to announce plans for Tanger Fields: a therapeutic playground, park and wetlands - woodlot … which encompasses the entire outdoor area surrounding Tanger School.

Every aspect of the design was carefully chosen by Tanger Staff, Rotarians, and architect, Carey Baker (Landscape Architect, Beckett & Raeder). In order to enable teachers and therapists to expand the educational, therapeutic, and recreational opportunities for children who attend Tanger School

Currently there are very few play items on the playground at Tanger School. The Tanger Fields Playground Project hopes to change that. Our goal to not just to add playground equipment, but to transform an empty field into a environment that offers Therapeutic, Educational, Accessible, Recreational Fun for children who attend Tanger School , their families, Tanger School Staff, and residents of Plymouth, Canton and surrounding communities, both during the school day and after school hours.

Tanger Fields is a promise that the children who attend Tanger School will have a playground, filled with equipment and opportunities that is appropriate, fun and what they need … just like every other student in the Plymouth-Canton School district.

This project is a celebration of imagination, perseverance , creativity, courage, spirit & dedication to children, families, play and education

The fields will be a place that children, young and old, can daydream, play, imagine, wish, think, have fun, learn, be absentminded, and learn about the world.

Imagine a gathering place for the entire community, accessible to all, with activities designed especially for children with special needs … their brothers and sisters, parents and grandparents. All children are welcome. All ages are welcome. That’s what Tanger Fields will be.

While it is our greatest hope to build all three parts at Tanger: The Therapeutic Playground, The Park, and The Wetlands, Rotary Club of Plymouth A.M. promises that all funds that are raised for Tanger Fields will be put towards the improvement of Tanger School’s outdoor area in order to continue the support of the Tanger School family.

Text Box: Fair isn’t giving every child the same thing. Fair is giving every child what they need.

Text Box: So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable. Christopher Reeve

“You don’t ever have to do anything sensational for people to love you. When I say, “It’s you I like,” I’m talking about that part of you that knows that life is far more than anything you can ever see or hear or touch … that deep part of you that allows you to stand for those things without which humankind cannot survive: love that conquers hate, peace that rises triumphant over war, and justice that proves more powerful than greed.

So in all that you do in all of your life, I wish you the strength and the grace to make those choices which will allow you and your neighbor to become the best of whoever you are.”

Mr. Rogers, Dartmouth College Commencement Speech 2002

When one tugs at a single thing in nature,

he finds it attached to the rest of the world.

John Muir

"El que lee much y anda mucho, ve mucho y sabe mucho."

Roughly translated it means:

"He who walks far and reads a lot, sees much and knows many things."

Miguel de Cervantes,

in the introduction to Don Quixote

Text Box: December 2007—July 2008. Site engineering plans/construction plans are being done. Phasing of construction is being planned. Steering Committee is being formed

Phase 5— Ongoing . 2007-08

Text Box: HISTORY: Rotary Club of Plymouth A.M. has a long-standing relationship with Tanger School staff, students & families: making annual donations, assisting with the Tanger School Christmas Party. … Plymouth Rotary A.M. & Visteon provided funding for the Sensory Motor Room at Tanger Center, as well as other equipment and projects
… Visteon engineers worked with Tanger Staff to design the Sensory Motor Room

History … pre-2005

Text Box: Fall 2008 Steering Committee formed: Robert Bilkie, Chairperson Shari Bilkie Ashley Bilkie Larry Bird Chuck Gaidica Lee Harrison David Haslam Heather Johnson Sam Kennedy
Debra Madonna, Co-Chairperson

Phase 6 . Fall. 2008

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