Access to Recreation Mission

To be a catalyst for change enabling communities to create greater access and inclusiveness in recreational facilities, programs and services for people of all ages and abilities.

Access to Recreation (A2R) is a four-state initiative designed to support community foundations, parks and recreation providers, advocacy groups, and individuals as they work to provide greater access to a wide variety of recreational opportunities.  Since its launch in 2006, more than 40 projects to expand recreational accessibility have been completed in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

A2R was made possible through a W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant of $15 million to Midwest Community Foundations' Ventures (MCFV).  MCFV re-granted a majority of funding to community foundations in these four states for recreation projects that incorporate universal design principles (a holistic design concept that addresses the needs of people at every stage in their lives) into their construction.

The DuPage Community Foundation (DCF) was one of 22 community foundations selected by MCFV to receive grant funding for this initiative with only four being chosen from Illinois out of 13 that applied.

Under the terms of the agreement, DCF received grants totaling $426,000 from MCFV:  $200,000 in support of two park projects, $134,000 for the establishment of a permanent endowment and $92,000 for administration and convening expenses for the initiative.  Since part of the funding was offered as a matching incentive, the Foundation was responsible for raising an additional $334,000 in community support for all phases of the project.  In the long-term, income generated from the permanent endowment (current balance of $283,000) will be used for annual grants to develop accessible recreational opportunities in DuPage County.


Forest Glen Park and Knolls Community Park Projects

In the initial phase of the A2R initiative, DCF partnered with Woodridge and York Center park districts to create universally designed and fully accessible parks.  Forest Glen Park in Woodridge and Knolls Community Park in York Center were complete in 2009 and families, especially those with a disabled family member, are enjoying these unique recreational facilities.

Specially designed ramps and play surfaces allow children using a wheelchair to access all areas of the playground and to enter and exit at the same places as their peers.  Wheelchair-bound parents and grandparents are easily able to interact with their children.  Sensory gardens and water features provide sensory stimulation and are particularly valuable for children with autism.

A compelling letter received from a special education teacher who brought her students, ranging from children with mental disabilities to those requiring a wheelchair, to Forest Glen Park summed up how important these Access to Recreation projects are for so many children and their families:  "On the day of our attendance, I was pleased to see how crowded the park was with young, old, families, schools, able bodied, and disabled.  Everyone, including myself and my students, had smiles on their faces and at times, to be honest each one of my students, openly, willingly, and eagerly activate the park's equipment and most importantly interact with everyone around them."

Website Listing Local Accessible Recreational Facilities

With the completion of the two park projects, a steering committee is shifting its focus toward launching a website that lists accessible recreation facilities in and around the DuPage county area.  The website, which will be listed as both specialrecreation.org and specialrecreation.com, will provide accessible park information as well as information about special recreation associations in the state.  The site will also link to most of the organizations that serve people with disabilities in the state.

In the initial phase of the website launch, select agencies, which have already demonstrated leadership in making their facilities available to all, have been invited to participate by being listed on the site.  The intent with the first phase is to create the willingness for other agencies to both make efforts to improve the accessibility of their facilities and to voluntarily add their information to the website.

Special tool kits will be available through each of the local special recreation associations (Gateway Special Recreation Association; Northeast DuPage Special Recreation Association - NEDSRA; South East Association for Special Parks/Recreation - SEASPAR; Western DuPage Special Recreation Association - WDSRA) to assist recreation personnel in measuring park features for accessibility.

Ultimately, the website is intended to serve as a resource to assist families, caregivers and teachers find local, accessible recreational facilities with features that meet their unique needs.