Caleb Afulike of Round Lake Beach was surprised to see a young man in a wheelchair waving from the highest part of a play structure on a recent visit to the park with his daughter.
“Most impressive,” he said. “I’ve never seen that.”
That’s the idea behind the Round Lake Area Park District’s new playground — accessibility for everyone.
One of the largest all-inclusive playgrounds in Lake County, Hero Park was designed for children and adults of all abilities, Park District Executive Director Katie Gamroth said.
“Hero Park is more than a playground; it’s a space where every child can experience the joy of play without limitations,” Gamroth said.
Some of its most familiar features are monkey bars, swings, tunnels and slides. But unlike playgrounds of the past, Hero Park is set up to challenge children for development at every level, no matter their abilities.
Panels with knobs, buttons, music and spinners displayed at eye level in different corners of the play station are meant to invite kids to use touch and discover. Where normally there would be stairs to climb, there are ramps so wheelchair-bound children, parents and caregivers can move easily throughout.
The spinner, once a metal roundabout that may have caused more accidents than fun, is now a spot where even grandma and grandpa on a walker can be, since it spins flat on the ground.
The entire playground has a spongy surface; there is specialized seating and handholds. There is also a splash pad to cool off on hot days.
“It’s about providing a way for parallel experiences, ” said Natalie Mackay, chief executive officer and founder of Unlimited Play, the nonprofit that worked with the Park District on the playground’s design.
Mackay said families with a child on the spectrum and siblings who are not sometimes feel like they can’t win because while the playground can be an exciting adventure for one, it can be an overwhelming source of stress for the other.
For those with visual, hearing or cognitive sensibilities a spot called Quiet Grove provides respite. The three-sided space with a bench inside has fidget spinners, and the wall material is window-like to see through, but with noise reduction.
“This way, if one child is feeling overwhelmed, the entire family doesn’t have to leave, Mackay said.
Side-by-side rail riders can have kids sitting or standing on a peg and zip lining across, next to friends who can enjoy the ride but sitting on a seat.
For 11-year-old Abraham Carrillo of Round Lake, one of the playground’s coolest features is the tower. Since the playground has a superhero theme, complete with bright colors just like in a comic book, the tower is the mission control of the metropolis. It’s where cranks and levers expel recordings of emergency calls for caped crusaders to come to the rescue.
Abraham’s mom, Gianna, likes that the playground is fenced and that the splash pad and fully-accessible bathrooms are within that protection. She’s also a mother to an 8-year-old and a toddler.
“I like that this is accommodating for all their ages,” Carrillo said.
The inclusive play space, which is part of the North Shore Park campus and is near the Special Recreation Center, was previously home to a preschool and a smaller playground.
The $2.6 million project had been in the works since 2022 and began construction last year.
It had a soft opening in late June and an official one in mid-August, at which dozens of kids got to run through a banner with officials cheering as they ran inside.
Hero Park is located at 2041 N. Orchard Lane in Round Lake Beach. It’s open daily from dawn to dusk.
