Palm Springs Police Dept., Chief to be Honored with 'Community Heroes' Award

From City of Palm Springs:

The Palm Springs Parks and Recreation Commission and United Cerebral Palsy of the Inland Empire will honor Palm Springs Police Chief Bryan Reyes and the Palm Springs Police Department with a special “Community Heroes” Award on Saturday, Oct. 15 at “Heroes in the Park: A Celebration of Special Needs Children and their Families and Friends.”

The celebration, slated from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. in Sunrise Park, will mark the dedication of the City’s new ADA, all-inclusive state-of-the-art playground structure and is sponsored by the City of Palm Springs, Desert Healthcare District, United Cerebral Palsy of the Inland Empire and the California State Council on Development Disabilities. Palm Springs City Council members along with world famous boxer Timothy Bradley, Jr., Fire Chief Kevin Nalder, the City’s Parks and Recreation and Measure J Commissions and a host of comic book heroes will be on hand to take part in the event and help lead a 1K walk designed for special needs children immediately following the 10:30 a.m. dedication.

Reyes and the officers of the Palm Springs Police Department will be receiving the “Community Heroes” Award for their ongoing commitment to providing all-inclusive service to each and every resident and visitor of Palm Springs, including those with special needs and disabilities.

The celebration will also feature a health and wellness fair and a host of fun activities and sports clinics for about 100 special needs children and their friends and families. In addition, therapy dogs and adoptable pets from the Palm Springs Animal Shelter will be on hand for the children. The City of Palm Springs is proud to be leading the way as a model city for residents and visitors with special needs and disabilities. The new playground structure, funded by Measure J tax dollars, has been widely used since installation in March.

Several recently completed ADA projects over the past two years in the city include:

• Audio pedestrian push buttons at traffic signal intersections throughout the city for visually impaired citizens.

• Hundreds of upgraded accessible curb ramps on newly paved streets throughout the city.
• Upgraded accessible curb ramps around Sunrise Park and the Palm Springs Public Library.
• New accessible perimeter walkways as part of the renovation of the Palm Springs Dog Park behind City Hall.

• Upgraded accessible walkways at Demuth Park, coming soon!

“The City of Palm Springs is well known for its commitment to being one of the most inclusive and welcoming destinations in the country,” said Mary Jo Ginther, Director of the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism. “Residents and visitors alike with disabilities or disabled family members are starting to recognize our city is a wonderful place to live, work and play for everyone, including those with disabilities. We truly are like no place else.”

Photo courtesy of Pixabay