If all goes according to plan, around this time next year Cookeville will have a community playground on the property off of Flemming Ave. that is currently a city parking lot.

“This will be the only all-inclusive playground that is open to the public 365 days a year, all day, within 90 miles,” said Kelly Swallows, one of the project’s general coordinators.

But first, the playground is going to need a name. Members of the community have been submitting suggestions, and the top three results will be released at a celebration this Thursday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Dogwood Park near the fountain.

The free event will feature everything from facepainting and games to a dunking booth and temporary tattoos. Members of the Cookeville Children’s Theatre will also be dressed as characters from their upcoming production, “Peter Pan,” and be available to take free polaroid photos with children thanks to First National Bank’s photo services. There will also be free pizza, as well as free treats like sno-cones and cotton candy.

The company responsible for the new playground’s construction should be on site sometime next month to look at the proposed location and talk to area children about what they would like in a playground.

In addition to normal features like slides and swings, the playground will also feature equipment that can be used by children with both physical and mental special needs.

“All kids can play with the equipment,” Ashley Swann, general coordinator, said. “We may have an autism swing that’s like a cocoon, or we may have a roller slide where kids can feel the texture on their back as they roll down.”

The planned total cost of the community playground is expected to be about $450,000.

“The land is free from the city, which is fabulous,” Swallows said. “Then you have the site prep — and we’re hoping that will be donated — the playground itself, plus the surface of the playground. For it to be all-inclusive, it needs to have a surface that’s really expensive, so that’s half of the cost of the playground.

“So we’re thinking $400,000 for the total playground and the surface, and then an additional $40-50,000 for a restroom to be constructed.”

The playground committee is also working with the city council to see how much it would cost to put in a lit crosswalk between the playground and Dogwood Park, as well as between the park and the sidewalk in front of the nearby fire department and City Hall.

Members of the community are already flocking to the project to see how they can help. Once the design of the playground is finalized, there will be various levels of sponsorship available, with plenty of naming opportunities for components within the playground.

“The sky’s the limit,” Swallows said. “If people come in and just start throwing money our way — which would be an amazing problem to have — the playground can be taller. You can’t really go out, since you’re limited to your land size, but you can make it more interesting and a lot more involved.”

In addition to monetary donations, they will also need donated labor services, materials and landscaping.

There are also still plenty of open spaces on the various committees, including fundraising, public relations, volunteer coordination, children’s committee, materials/tools, design/special features, special needs/accessibility and food.

“The playground will be community-funded and maintained by the city,” Swann said.

For more information about the playground or how to help, search for “Cookeville Community Build Playground” on Facebook or call Leisure Services at 931-520-4386.