PEORIA, Ill. – The playground at Glen Oak Park will be getting new equipment that is made for everyone.
The Peoria Park District Board approved the purchase of new equipment and upgrades Wednesday at its trustee meeting. The current wooden playground has been in place since 1991.
Executive Director Emily Cahill says some of the new equipment includes swings with access for wheelchairs, new climbing walls, and ziplines. The playground will also have a flat and bouncy ground in order to make it easier for wheelchairs to move within it.
Cahill says the average cost of upgrades to playgrounds is around $200,000. But this project is much bigger.
“Just the purchase of equipment and the poured-in-place surface and all of their installation was $885,000,” Cahill said. “So that gives you an idea of the size and scope of what’s being contemplated here, this is…this is a big deal.”
Cahill says the investment is part of the district’s commitment to making its parks and equipment more accessible to everyone.
“Not only is it about those with special needs, it’s also about diversity. It’s about equity and inclusion,” Cahill said. “And so everything we do, we try to make sure that we’re allocating our resources across the very diverse populations that we serve.”
Demolition of the old wooden playground is expected to start in July, with construction of the new playground to be completed by the fall.
