A playground for all: Work on inclusive structure at McHenry Veteran’s Memorial Park set to start in spring

In a few months, McHenry will have a new playground that isn’t just accessible but is inclusive for a wide variety of children.

The McHenry City Council recently approved an expenditure of $419,999 to rebuild the playground at Veteran’s Memorial Park on Pearl Street. Of that, $300,000 comes from the RISE Up Foundation’s 2024 music festival at McHenry’s Petersen Park.

The difference between accessible and inclusive play areas is that “inclusive goes a little bit more,” parks and recreation director Bill Hobson said. “It caters to a wider audience.”

The main play structure has ramped access to most of it, Hobson said. One of the gliders is fitted for wheelchair access, as is a spinner structure.

At the edges of the playground are “play pieces which promote STEM and inclusivity” and chain-reaction-type play areas.

The more inclusive areas are designed to give those who “experience the world in a different way” a place play, too, Hobson said.

The city is working with Union-based Team RIEL Inc., which is sourcing and installing the artificial turf and structures. The playground’s footprint on the north end of the park will not change, Hobson said.

“We will be ready to go for next summer,” Hobson told the City Council, with a six- to eight-week construction window to remove the existing mulch and play equipment.

Veteran’s Memorial Park was picked for the inclusive playground because of its central location and popularity. “It is probably our most popular playground after Ft. McHenry,” Hobson said. “With that, and the number of community events we have here, the sidewalks all the way around the park, having ample parking, and we recently re-did the bathrooms there ... it was the best candidate for us.”

The existing playground was installed in 2002 and is also reaching the end of its useful life, Hobson said.

Mayor Wayne Jett said he spoke with parents and organizations that work with children who have disabilities when deciding where the RISE Up 2024 funds would go.

Founded by Jett and his wife, Amber, the RISE Up music festival was held in 2021, 2022 and 2024. So far, the concerts have raised $1.2 million for McHenry parks, paying for the splash pad at Ft. McHenry and a portion of the renovation of Miller Point Park.

“With the weekly concerts in the park, it is a pretty-used park,” Jett said. “I thought that it would be the best used” as an inclusive park, he added.

The Jetts hope to announce the 2025 music festival lineup soon, as well as announcing where those funds could go next, Jett said.

“Ideally, we know we need a pool” as the pool at Knox Park, the Merkel Aquatic Center, is also reaching the end of its useable life, said Jett, who is up for reelection in April and faces a challenge from City Council member Chris Bassi. The Parks and Recreation department is working with Hitchcock Design Group to finalize a master plan for the future of city parks, too.

The city could rebuild the pool at its current location or build a new pool adjacent to or part of an expansion of the Fitness Center at 3636 Municipal Drive.

“We would love to put it toward a pool but the question is having a plan first. We can’t location it without having an idea of where it will be,” Jett said. “The best option is to have it go toward a pool, but we need to plan that out.”