MIDLAND, TX (KWES) - A popular park could soon be operating in Midland yet again. The Chris Davidson Opportunity Park opened in the 1980s for kids with special needs. The father behind the park has been raising money to build a new park at a different location since 2014.
The Hightower family loves spending time together, whether it's playing indoors or going to get some fresh air, they try their best to find things to do.
"Our city parks our limited. They are nice and they are new and that's great, but for children who have issues like our son. It's a difficult thing to go to a park," said Chris Hightower.
His son 10-year-old Jackson has Emmanuel syndrome. He is non-verbal and struggles to stand and walk for long periods of time making city parks completely out of the question.
"It's really frustrating because there are so many things that I wish we could do with him, but we can't," said Abigail Hightower, Jackson's sister.
The Chris Davidson Opportunity park was named after a local boy with special needs. At the time, it was one of only three parks of it's kind in the country.
That park has been renamed and is open, but after still seeing a need in the community, Chris' father plans to open a new one to fill the gaps.
"The original park was really built for children with physical disabilities because we didn't really know about all the developmental disabilities in the late 1980s," said Steve Davidson.
Davidson says its not just about memorializing his son, who passed before being able to enjoy the park named in his honor, it's about bringing the community and families, like the Hightower's together.
"A lot of parents of special needs kids will isolate themselves because their child looks different or acts different. This park is designed to lower those walls," said Davidson.
The park is $600,000 away from it's goal of $3 million to start building. It will include activities for kids with physical as well as cognitive disabilities.
The park will be operated by the Bush Tennis Center.
To learn more about the park, visit: http://bit.ly/2rX9jX3.
