Disability-Friendly Playground Pitched For Moorestown

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Moorestown is developing plans to build an inclusive playground at Wesley Bishop Park, and the township wants the community's feedback.

Inclusive playgrounds are designed to eliminate barriers for children and adults with disabilities. Moorestown will hold an informal meeting at 6 p.m. Dec. 18 to discuss bringing one to the township.

Efforts to bring more inclusive playgrounds to New Jersey were inspired by Jacob Cummings-Nasto. "Baby Jake," who died at age 2, was born with hypoplastic heart syndrome and went to the park for physical therapy.

Baby Jake is the namesake for Jake's Place, a nationally ranked inclusive playground in Cherry Hill. In 2018, New Jersey passed "Jake's Law," which prioritizes state funding for inclusive playgrounds similar to Jake's Place.

Moorestown is proposing to apply for Green Acres funding to build an all-inclusive playground at Wesley Bishop Park.

The township has released two concept plans for the playground:

The meeting will be virtual only. Here are instructions for accessing the meeting.