In yet another stride towards an inclusive Dearborn, city officials and community members gathered at Ford Woods Park to celebrate the opening of their second adaptive playscape. The event, which took place last Friday, was peppered with excitement as Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud unveiled the new space designed to seamlessly welcome children with disabilities along with their peers. According to a press release by the City of Dearborn, this initiative is part of a broader project aiming "to enhance and expand Dearborn's green footprint."
The inclusive playground is the latest addition from the PEACE Parks project, a $30 million commitment targeting the city's parks and recreation facilities. The first of its kind was introduced to Crowley Park last November, and if the success there is anything to go by, Ford Woods Park is set to become another gem in the city's crown. Hammoud echoed this sentiment and shared plans to continue to progressively widen the reach of accessible play areas. "By later this year," he promised, "all Dearborn families will be within 10 minutes of an accessible playscape in the city," as stated by the City of Dearborn.
This project was a team effort, with design ideas for the playscape collected through a process that included the City’s Disability Concerns Commission, Parks and Recreation Department, and local families. Advocacy group Blue Hands United played a key role from the start, rallying support and helping move the project through Dearborn City Council, according to the City of Dearborn.
