Bennett Park in Palos Hills has earned all five National Demonstration Site designations from PlayCore, making it the only park in the United States to do so.
During the Sept. 18 Committee of the Whole meeting, Mayor Jerry Bennett announced the city’s latest recognition for its work with GameTime and Cunningham Recreation.
The recognition goes to parks that make recreation accessible for everyone, including kids, adults and people with disabilities. For Bennett Park, that means everyone can play.
Bennett said the recognition further illustrates the community’s vision for the park.
“I just want to thank everybody, because the park looks great and it’s accessible to everyone,” Bennett said.
“If anyone is in a wheelchair, it’s fully accessible, it’s a great retreat with inclusive equipment and everything that goes along with it, and that’s really what this is about.”
Parks and Recreation Commissioner Kristin Violante said that while a few parks nationwide hold one or more designations, Bennett Park is the only one with all five.
“GameTime did a really nice write-up about the park,” Violante said. “It’s a very prestigious award, and the case study was written well.”
Violante added, “I think it’s a great tool because it shows people exactly what makes the park special.”
The full case study on the park’s features is available at the community center can be found here.
Bennett Park, which opened in 2021, was funded through federal grants, park budgets and community support.
