The revamped park features new playground equipment that encourages inclusive, accessible play for all children. City officials say it’s a step toward allowing more families to play at parks in Cleveland, rather than driving to the suburbs.
In mid-November, Friends of Impett Park (FOIP) hosted a ribbon cutting to officially open the park’s new, inclusive playground. After three years of planning, all with community input, this beautiful new playspace is one-of-a-kind in Cleveland. This event was a celebration for the many volunteers, officials and residents who moved the park forward.
Cleveland’s Mayor Justin Bibb and Ward 17 Councilman Charles Slife were in attendance and spoke highly of the Impett project and announced plans for the future of Cleveland’s parks.
Bibb remarked, “This is a great example of neighbors coming together, working with City Hall, to make our city better.”
Slife mentioned that when residents were polled about how to better use Impett Park and what features could be added, “nearly universally, everyone said a new playset. Not only are we getting a new park, but all the features that you see are built around the idea of inclusivity, designs chosen by the residents and children living in the neighborhood.”
Through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the city was awarded $750,000 for the Impett playground project. “We ran into a little bit of a problem when we came up with a project that was basically double that,” Slife said. “Fortunately, [with help] from Cleveland City Council, we were able to add on top of that money to get what you see here.”
Slife also commented that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources approved a grant of $75,000 for replacement of the shelter that was demolished to make way for the expanded footprint of the playspace.
As for the future, Bibb continued, “No family in our city should have to go to Lakewood, or Beachwood, or Shaker Heights to play. We will have world-class parks better than the suburbs in Cleveland. With Councilman Slife’s leadership, we are working on a couple of things to make that vision a reality. First and foremost, we now have our first ever Department of Parks and Recreation led by Alex (Alexandria) Nichols.”
Kate Catanese, Friends of Impett Park’s leader, thanked everyone who had a hand in the design and creation of the new playspace.
“Thank you for sharing your dreams with us, from the kids and parents who tagged catalog pages, voted on posters strung up on park benches, everyone who showed up at meetings to share their personal and professional expertise, the parents who voted and shared their ideas in online surveys, and all the kids who overwhelmingly chose a zipline,” she said. “You designed this playground. Our job was to listen and to advocate for what you wanted.”
For this project, FOIP wanted a healthy collaboration that included the entire community. Not wanting to fall short of including kids with disabilities and their families, Cantonese said, “We heard of ramps leading to nowhere, “accessible” playgrounds covered with mulch that children with mobility devices could not navigate. We also heard of the burden of Clevelanders packing up their entire families and driving 40 minutes or more to modern play spaces that are safe, welcoming and inclusive, rather than play in their own backyards.”
The reality of children with disabilities being able to play alongside their peers with features that are fun, exciting and challenging is at the heart of Impett’s playground.
As children of the neighborhood lined up to cut the ribbon, Catanese offered a quote from Harper’s Playground Foundation, “Life Should Be A Party And Everyone Should Be Invited. Welcome To The Party.”
For more information about Friends of Impett Park, see https://www.facebook.com/friendsofimpettpark/
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