Evesham Township awarded $731,000 NJ Green Acres Grant to support construction of Completely Inclusive Playground at Evesboro Downs Park

Evesham Township is excited to announce that the municipality has been awarded a $731,000 grant to support the construction of a new Completely Inclusive Playground at Evesboro Downs Park that will be designed specifically for the needs of children and adults who experience disabilities.

The grant was awarded through the 2024 New Jersey Green Acres Funding program, under the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

This funding is also supported by New Jersey’s “Jake’s Law”, which prioritizes and incentivizes applications to the Green Acres Program that seek funding for inclusive playgrounds.

The term “Jake’s Law” refers to Jake’s Place, a playground in Cherry Hill that was created in honor of Jacob Cummings-Nasto, who passed away due to complications of heart surgery at age 2. Born with hypoplastic heart syndrome, the park was a preferred place for Jake’s physical therapy.

Also significant to Evesham obtaining grant funding this year was a change to the eligibility requirements for inclusive playgrounds in the 2024 Green Acres Program. In the 2023 funding year, only county governments could apply for funding, but for 2024, grant eligibility expanded to municipalities as well.

With that in mind, Evesham Township was eager to take advantage of the amazing opportunity that could further support the township’s ongoing mission of taking an “all-inclusive” approach to planning. 

As noted by Evesham Mayor Jaclyn Veasy, the township is incredibly grateful to all partners at the State level for recognizing the importance of inclusive play in the Evesham community.

“This new Completely Inclusive Playground will not only provide a fun and engaging space for all children and their families, but it will also stand as a testament to our township’s continued dedication to inclusivity and accessibility,” Mayor Veasy said. “This grant underscores the municipality’s commitment to serving individuals who experience disabilities and enhancing recreational opportunities for residents of all needs.”

Evesham Township’s Completely Inclusive Playground is proposed for Evesboro Downs Park, adjacent to the site’s existing playground equipment.

The new playground will be designed with standards that not only meet, but also generally exceed, those set by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Just some of the improvements will include multi-sensory recreation items, percussion play, eco-friendly playground equipment that can be accessed by individuals with a greater range of needs and abilities, pour-in-place rubber safety surfacing and new benches.

Additional improvements will also be made in support of the area near the playground, such as new walkways, detectable warning surfaces and traffic marking symbols.

It is Evesham Township’s hope that these improvements will meet the growing demand for inclusive and accessible public recreational space within the community.

The grant funding awarded to Evesham Township is part of more than $33.1 million in matching grants are being awarded this year to 49 local governments in 16 counties across New Jersey for the development of Completely Inclusive Playgrounds.