Waukegan Park District opens new playground

The Waukegan Park District officially opened the new playground at Corrine J. Rose Park, formerly Belvidere Park.

Located at 412 S. Lewis Ave., Rose Park was improved with a new, three-story playground featuring accessible amenities and sky-scraping towers with fully enclosed skyways providing extreme physical challenges for children while ensuring safety.

The playground, named Extreme Generation and made by Miracle Recreation, incorporates a gravity rail and towering pinnacles that are nearly 30 feet high, with some of the tallest and longest enclosed slides in the country. The playground is separated into two play areas, one for children ages 2 to 5 and the other for children ages 5 to 12.

During the planning process of the new playground, accessibility was a top priority. The playground includes an Alta Glide Inclusive Glider; a swaying, bouncing wheelchair-accessible glider; and an Inclusive Whirl, a spinner that is built level with the ground, making it easy to board, with space for up to two wheelchairs at once.

"The play structures incorporated into the new playground at Corrine J. Rose Park give children the opportunity to climb high and test their limits," said President of the Board of Commissioners Jeremiah Johnson. "We're excited to see local children enjoying the new and improved playground."

"The new and exciting playground at Corrine J. Rose Park will be a destination for the community," Executive Director Jay Lerner said. "With a gravity rail, challenging skyways, and accessible features, the innovative play structure will ensure that more children have the chance to feel the exhilaration of moving through space in fun, enriching ways."

Belvidere Park was renamed in 2018 to honor Corrine J. Rose, the Waukegan Park District's first female executive director and former commissioner, known locally as the "First Lady of the Parks" for her dedication and contributions to parks in Waukegan.

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