Plans for Woodstock inclusive playground on track after possible delays

After worries that Woodstock’s inclusive playground would be delayed in its planning by a year, city officials said Tuesday that plans to have it possibly built by 2023 are back on track.

Last month, the city sent out requests for proposals for the project, but after closing the window in late August, officials worried there wasn’t enough to create an application for a grant that will be needed to make the playground a reality.

As a result, the city would have had to wait until next year to apply for the grant, pushing the playground’s opening to potentially 2024, said the city’s executive director for business development, Danielle Gulli.

“It’s a very complex project,” Gulli said in late August.

Specifically, the city is looking to apply for an Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development grant, which is funded through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for the development of land for public parks, Grant Manager Terry Willcockson said.

After it looked like the city would miss the grant window, which closes at the end of September, staff found they could use a site plan for another playground in Emricson Park, which in turn will allow the city to apply for the grant this year.

This leaves the door open for the inclusive playground, which is advertised as being for ages 8 to 80, to be built in 2023 as originally planned.

There’s still much work to do, Gulli said. Plans still need to be made, they need to receive City Council approval and the grant application would need to be successful, and so there’s no promise the playground will be up and running next year.

“The biggest obstacle was trying to get something pulled together for the grant,” Gulli said. “This gives us a better opportunity to hopefully expedite it.”

The grant requires a site plan to be submitted, but allows for the applicant to switch the location of the plan, Gulli said. This means the city can submit a modified site plan already created, albeit for another playground, and then opt to relocate the plan to another place in the park later on.

“The site plan is the key component to [the grant application],” Gulli said. “My understanding is that they want to see you’re serious about this project ... and that it’s a viable project.”

The grant is offered once a year by the state and matches funds up to $400,000, Willcockson said. This year that was upped to $600,000 because of the amount of federal money available.

“That [grant] would be what we really need to get this program off the ground,” Willcockson said.

The inclusive playground is designed to allow for differently abled people, such as those who need wheelchairs, to participate, Gulli said.

Originally proposed in February, the concept was met with approval from parents and community members who have had issues finding outdoor opportunities for their children.

The initial plan was to find $1 million for the project, but Gulli said that may have slightly changed because of recent inflation. In March, the city earmarked $400,000 for the project and in April, added another $75,000 to its 2022-23 budget for the project.

Other amenities, such as a restroom or concessions area, could be included, Gulli said.

“We really believe that people will come from all over the county to make it a destination,” Gulli said. “There’s very few of these in the area.”