TEXAS STATE EDITION
A Supplement to:
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August 21 2016 Vol. I • No. 17
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded in 1957.” Your Texas Connection • Dale Agnew, Carrollton, TX • 1-877-877-4997
Morgan’s Inspiration Island A $13 million project in San Antonio, Texas, will result in the world’s first ultra-accessible splash park, set to open in the spring of 2017. It is located next to 25-acre Morgan’s Wonderland, which opened in 2010 as the world’s first ultra-accessible theme park. “It’s hard to describe, it’s such a neat place,” said Bob McCullough, communications director of Morgan’s Wonderland. “Because of its success, we want to expand and offer a water-based experience. It can get pretty warm in Texas in the summertime, and we got a lot of comments from guests that it would be nice to have a place to go to for splashing and playing, so we’re now creating Morgan’s Inspiration Island, and it’s going to be located adjacent to Morgan’s Wonderland.” Morgan’s Wonderland is built in what at one time was a limestone quarry, and one of the holdover features of that quarry is an eight-acre lake, which has been incorporated into the park. Morgan’s Inspiration Island is immediately opposite Morgan’s Wonderland on the other shore, so it offers a beautiful panoramic view overlooking the lake toward Morgan’s Wonderland. “It will be tropically themed, and it will include one water ride and a number of tropically themed splash pads where folks with and without disabilities can get wet and have fun and really enjoy themselves,” McCullough said. “Since this is the world’s first splash park designed to accommodate individuals with physical and cognitive special needs, the challenge is to make sure that it’s ultra-accessible, i.e., a splashy place without barriers so everyone can have fun.” Featuring more than 25 wheelchair-accessible attractions including rides, playgrounds and gardens, Morgan’s Wonderland is the center of a family fun destination known as Wonderland, Texas. The destination also includes The Academy at Morgan’s Wonderland, a school for students with special needs ages 12 to 24. Gordon Hartman, the driving force behind Morgan’s Wonderland, also is supervising construction of Morgan’s Inspiration Island, using the expertise he gained during many years of building homes in the Greater San Antonio area. He sold his homebuilding business in 2005 to devote his energies to helping those with special needs. His inspiration is his daughter, Morgan, 22, who has dealt with cognitive and physical issues all her life. Hartman describes himself as “a bricks and sticks guy,” and basically served as the general contractor for both parks. “Morgan’s Wonderland opened in the spring of 2010, and thus far has had approximately a million guests from all 50 states, and 65 other countries, so the word is definitely getBy Brenda Ruggiero CEG CORRESPONDENT
Following ACS’s first training class in June, ironworkers (sitting on the steel training tower) are now working on job sites building a high school and community college in Katy and Missouri City, Texas, respectively. Also shown are operational excellence coordinators and ACS staff and instructors.
Texas Company to Provide Ironworker Training to Veterans morganswonderland.com/ photo
The dominant theme element in the park is a lighthouse towering 77 ft. 6 in. (23.6 m). Clustered around it are splash pads, a water ride, areas to sit and relax and snack areas.
ting out that this is a tremendous place for accessibility,” McCullough said. “We accommodate both those with and without special needs, and inclusion is the focal point of Morgan’s Wonderland; it will also be the focal point for Morgan’s Inspiration Island. Gordon’s premise is that you bring together those with and without disabilities in a fun atmosphere, and they learn about each other — they respect each other and come away with a better understanding of each other.” see SPLASH page 14
Adaptive Construction Solutions Inc. (ACS) of Houston, Texas, has been approved by the Steel Erectors Association of America as a SEAA/NCCER Ironworker Training Unit and Assessment Site. The company, which opened its doors in April and recently became a member of SEAA, completed its first two training classes in June and July, providing 36 veterans with Level 1 ironworker training. ACS hires military veterans, trains them to become ironworkers, and contracts them out to local general contractor and steel erection contractor partners in the Gulf Coast region. ACS was founded by Nick Morgan, a commercial insurance agent, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant and veteran of the Iraq War. “We are veterans, taking care of veterans for the purpose of retraining military personnel and supplying much needed qualified workers into the construction industry,” said Brittany Burton, marketing director of ACS and USMC Sgt. Initial training consists of an intensive 96-hour program, with classroom and hands-on training over a 12see VETS page 12