There is a new playground at Washington Lake Park. And this one was made with all kids in mind.
On the evening of September 10, the gates to an inclusive playground opened to the public for the first time after it broke ground in March.
It is an inclusive and adaptive playground, because its infrastructure and equipment is designed for children and adults of all disabilities, abilities and health statuses. It is ADA-compliant, made with equipment that is safer for walking, running, wheels and possible falls. Much of the equipment also accommodates children with assistive devices and mobility, such as wheelchairs, scooters, walkers and canes. There also is equipment catered towards children with non-physical aliments, like a braille panel and sensory activities and puzzles.
The playground is an initiative from the township and The Blackbird Foundation, a Washington Township-based non-profit founded by Nicole Cora, her husband Steve and their three children, Sophia, SJ and Luke in 2017. Cora’s daughter, Sophia, has a mutation of her IQSEC2 Gene, which is an incredibly rare genetic diagnosis that only about 100 people worldwide have, according to The Blackbird Foundation’s website.
With Sophia’s diagnosis, she struggles with many physical and mental challenges. These challenges also hinder her from being able to safely use standard playgrounds, just like millions of other children in the country.
Cora, and other parents and members of council at the soft opening, said there are not many inclusive playgrounds in the area for children and adults with disabilities. Few said they would travel to a playground in Ocean City that had accessible equipment. Cora and her family, friends and Blackbird Foundation members wanted to make a difference and add a playground in town for families in the area to utilize.
Cora said she began speaking at council meetings about her foundation and the work they wanted to complete. She ended up working with Mayor Anthony DellaPia, members of council and District 4 Assemblyman Dan Hutchinson, who she said worked with New Jersey State Representative Cody Miller to secure a grant of $450,000 for the playground.
The township and The Blackbird Foundation also received a Green Acres grant for the playground’s development. The 2024 grant was $750,000, given under the promise that the township create a “new playground system and sensory play area with all new equipment along with a poured-in-place protective surfacing, fencing, a concrete circulation path, and a family restroom.” According to the Green Acres, the improvements made with the grant “will allow multiple age groups to enjoy the park’s recreational amenities.”
Through the state funding, Green Acres grant and private funding, the total project ended up being more than one million dollars.
“We knew the cost of it. It’s not cheap, and if we wanted to do it, we wanted to do it right,” Cora said.
Construction started earlier this March, and the playground was initially completed on August 14, which happened to be Sophia’s 13th birthday. The Cora family and close friends through the foundation had an impromptu celebration at the playground, and Sophia was the first person to walk through it.
“We had birthday cake, we got to watch our kids play and then we locked it back up (until the soft opening),” Cora said. “We were really fortunate to be able to take a couple moments with her by herself when we opened the gate. We kind of stayed back, and she wandered around herself.”
Sophia’s favorite pieces of equipment are swings. Cora said Sophia cannot sit on regular swings, so the accessible swings at the playground are “designed for height, weight and sensory requirements. They’re a little bit wider, and they sit back a little bit. They have a harness that’s out a little bit for safety precaution to allow kids that have little to no mobility to still enjoy it,” Cora said.
There also is a wheelchair accessible swing. The large, flat, red swing at the playground is suitable for a wheelchair to roll up, and it has space for other people (like family, caregivers, friends or siblings) to join in, as well.
In addition to the different pieces of play equipment, Cora said it was important to get ADA-compliant sun shades/pavilions that will help keep children and families less exposed to the sun and heat while outside. This also helps with the playgrounds mission of inclusivity and accessibility.
The playground also is completely fenced in, which can help keep kids who may be prone to run off contained in the space.
A larger grand opening was held almost a month later on October 2, where there was ceremony and celebration. The township and The Blackbird Foundation also revealed the official name of the playground: Sophia’s Space, named after the child who made this playground possible.
The Sophia’s Space playground is open daily during Washington Lake Park hours.
The new inclusive and adaptive playground at Washington Lake Park on September 10 during its soft opening.
