Wheelchair-accessible playgrounds increasing in Illinois

JOLIET, Ill. (WLS) -- The number of accessible playgrounds around the state of Illinois is increasing.

Last fall, United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of Illinois Prairieland in Joliet opened a wheelchair-accessible playground. The majority of the apparatuses are designed to accommodate wheelchairs.

"I just love to come out and watch the kids and adults play here," said Jim Mullens, CEO and president of UCP Illinois Prairieland.

The idea of creating a wheelchair-accessible playground was simple.

"One of our kids was looking out the window at the old playground and said, 'Jim, why can't we have a playground that we get to play on,'" Mullens said.

There was plenty of room to build one, and funding came through donations. A team was assembled to plan the project.

"We had some of our kids, some of our adults and some of our staff get together with an architect, then we put it out to bid to various companies, and they had the final say and approval," Mullens said.

Many of these individuals have never been on a playground before.

"We have a 69-year-old lady that her first time on a swing was here, and she cried the first time, and we all cried, and we laugh, and it's just a great thing," Mullens said.

There are some favorites among the new playground equipment.

"Either the swings or the boat that rocks back and forth," Mullens said. " Movement is very popular with the people, we had one of our little girls who never moved at all - when she got on the boat, she began to move her spine for the first time in her life," Mullens said.

"I enjoy the breeze as I'm doing it," said Kate, 22.

"Play is important to all of us, and people with disabilities are no different than the rest of us, and so to play is to experience life to its fullest and our folks deserve that just like anybody else," Mullens said.

If you want to learn more about UCP of Illinois Prairieland's wheelchair-accessible playground, visit http://www.ucpilprairieland.org/.