CCSD59 Parent Advocates for All-Inclusive Playground in Elk Grove Village
Sometimes all it takes to become a catalyst for change is to simply ask for it.
CCSD59 parent and Elk Grove Village resident Sherri Cappello did exactly that in a 2015 appearance before the Elk Grove Village Park Board. Her idea: To create an all-inclusive playground in Elk Grove Village where all children could safely play.
Cappello’s son, Jack, who attends Rupley Elementary, has special needs. In front of the Elk Grove Village park board, Cappello suggested that many children with special needs living in Elk Grove would greatly benefit from an all-inclusive playground. Through research, it was discovered that according to the Northwest Special Recreation Association (NWSRA), more than 500 Elk Grove Village residents access their district programs.
The existing playground at the Al Hattendorf Center was expanded, and additions included more accessible features all children could use to enjoy the playground. It was designed to accommodate not only mobility needs but also cognitive and social-emotional ones as well.
The additions to the playground include both physically challenging activities and others that encourage interactive and social play. The playground is fenced and gated to help keep children safe. Only service animals, who must be registered, are allowed inside the gated area.
The all-inclusive park, which had its grand opening on October 22, 2016, now includes many desirable features for all, regardless of needs or age: a picnic area, story and sensory gardens, a track for wheeled toys, an overhead climber, a spinning ring swing and swinging bench, a group see-saw, and many others.
There are many benefits to having an outdoor all-accessible playground, including developing physical skills, relieving stress, and improving overall health and wellness.
Perhaps the best benefit of all is quite simply for all children to have fun and enjoy a beautiful day outside at the park.
Cappello, who has heard positive feedback from other happy parents, is grateful for the opportunities the park provides to the whole community. “I found it so gratifying to see that this playground helps other families with children who have special needs as well, who can now play in a safe environment,” she said. “I am thankful to Bob Biedke and the whole park board, who made all of this possible.”
