Despite the temperature being in the 90s, the newly installed play equipment at the west end of Irwin Park got a workout Wednesday, July 15.
Things to climb, swing from and twirl on got a workout. The play equipment offers new challenges, especially for the older kids who love to climb and spin. Kids will find the bright green and blue slides and swings appealing. Gone are the old wood chip surfaces. Today if children fall, they land on a soft surface to reduce injuries.
Homewood-Flossmoor Park District Board President Brent Bachus was joined by Homewood Mayor Rich Hofeld and Flossmoor Mayor Michelle Nelson, who snipped the ribbon to officially mark the grand re-opening.
The Homewood-Flossmoor Park District started planning for the updates in 2024. It hired Upland Design, a landscape architecture firm. The firm conducted public hearings to learn what the community wanted in the park and then offer the park district several design options. The plan allowed for not only a new playground but also benches and a garden that would appeal to older adults.
The park spans a block along Ridge Road near downtown Homewood. For kids with disabilities, the park district installed a ramp off of Gottschalk Avenue to get easier access to the playground.
Part of the park remains fenced off as staff hope to keep people away so the specialty plantings can take root.
At the ribbon-cutting ceremony Bachus acknowledged the assistance from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The agency awarded the park district $600,000 to cover a portion of the $1.2 million cost. He also thanked Illinois Rep. Will Davis, D-Homewood, who has been an advocate for the park district in the Illinois legislature.
And Bachus gave a shout-out to park staff who worked on the project and were able to bring it to fruition.
