Foundation plans to put race proceeds toward expanding inclusive Sensory Garden Playground
Play is one of the most important parts of childhood. It teaches kids how to cooperate, resolve conflicts and have fun together.
But not all children have equal access to play in DuPage County. Due to physical disabilities, sensory processing disorders, autism, or other issues, thousands of kids can't access playground equipment currently in place across the county.
So in 2011, when the Kiwanis Club of Wheaton approached the Wheaton Park District with the idea of a universally accessible playground, we decided to help find partners and make plans.
When the project started to grow beyond the resources of one organization, we formed the Play for All Playground and Garden Foundation. Since 2013, the foundation has overseen the development of the Sensory Garden Playground, a five-phase accessible playground located in Danada South Park in Lisle.
From winning a $150,000 prize from Shane's Inspiration - a California-based organization responsible for building the first barrier-free playground in the western United States - to securing land from the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, it's been a long, rewarding journey that continues today.
We've been proud to partner with the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association, which has provided irreplaceable assistance in making sure the playground is truly barrier-free.
And I've been proud to do what I can. As director of marketing at the Wheaton Park District and a board member of the foundation, I've helped communicate with the press, organize a website and create marketing collateral so every family in DuPage County and beyond knows they have a place close to home for their loved one.
That place is not yet finished, though. While Phase I - which includes a 2- to 5-year-old playground, sound and fragrance gardens, and central gathering area - opened in 2015, we're still fundraising for Phases II through V.
The best is yet to come. A playground for 5- to 12-year-olds, boulder climbing area, water play area, multipurpose sports field, and accessible treehouse are all in the works.
Art Along the Way, a series of four sensory-integrated sculptures, will stimulate and delight visitors when it's installed this summer. So will our Play Days; taking place the third Saturday of each month, May through August, they'll feature planting, face painting and more.
This is why we walk: To ensure no child in DuPage County is told there isn't a place they can play safely. To bring fun, joy and activity into as many lives as possible. To create an opportunity for local families searching for a way to give their kids the best childhood they can.
The Sensory Garden Playground is a treasure of DuPage County, and so is the Giving DuPage Human Race. More than 65 organizations doing some of the best work in the county will be there.
Find a cause you're passionate about, or support something you've always wanted to support. We would be proud to have you walk with us.
To learn more about the Play for All Playground and Garden Foundation and to support future phases of the Sensory Garden Playground, visit playforalldupage.org.
Play for All Playground and Garden Foundation
The Play for All Playground and Garden Foundation oversees planning and fundraising for the Sensory Garden Playground, which aims to be a play space for all children, including those with physical disabilities, sensory processing disorders and other issues. The first phase of development created a playground for ages 2 to 5 along Navistar Drive east of Naperville Road in Lisle. Fundraising continues to additional development, including playground equipment for children up to 12 years old, a water play area, sports field and accessible treehouse. For information about the Play for All Playground and Garden Foundation and the Sensory Garden Playground, visit <a href="">playforalldupage.org</a>. To join the Human Race in support of Play for All, visit <a href="http://www.dupagehumanrace.org/">dupagehumanrace.org</a>.