The new inclusive playground at George Hellwig Memorial Park. Courtesy of KABOOM!
Kid-Designed Inclusive Playground Is Built at George Hellwig Memorial Park
Amazon, KABOOM! and Prince William Parks & Recreation teamed up with more than 200 volunteers on a playground designed with input from local children
A new inclusive playground built around ideas from local kids is in place at George Hellwig Memorial Park in Manassas, after more than 200 volunteers spent a week in late October putting it together. The playground is closed until the accessible rubber surface is installed, which is expected over the next couple of weeks.
The project is a collaboration between Prince William Parks & Recreation, Amazon and KABOOM!, a national nonprofit that builds playgrounds. The playground sits next to the Dr. Richard Tami Miracle Field at Hellwig, where dozens of children and young adults with disabilities play Miracle League baseball each year. County officials say the new space will serve more than 900 children a year and extend recreation opportunities beyond the baseball field to children of varying abilities and their families.
Designed by kids
Children had a say in what got built. At a Design Day in August, kids shared drawings of their dream playspaces, and those ideas helped shape the final design. Volunteers from the community and the partner organizations then brought the design to life during the build.
“Every child deserves a place where they can feel welcome, included, and free to play,” said Janet Bartnik, acting director for Prince William County Parks and Recreation. “This new playspace makes that promise more real for families in our community.”
Volunteers at the Hellwig playground build day. Prince William County Parks and Recreation
Why it matters
County officials said many children, especially in communities of color, do not have a place to play near where they live or learn. The Hellwig playground was designed with the neighborhood’s needs in mind, and the county described it as a step toward ending what it called playspace inequity.
KABOOM! is marking its 30th anniversary this year. CEO Lysa Ratliff said the organization is proud to partner with the county and Amazon on a project that shows “the power of communities and partners working together.”
Amazon’s involvement is part of its broader community investment in the areas where its employees live and work. Matthew Mayer, Amazon’s community engagement manager for Prince William County, said knowing the playground was shaped by the kids who will use it makes it “even more meaningful.”
What’s next
The county hasn’t set an opening date. The surface is expected to go in over the next couple of weeks and will then need time to cure, so the playground stays closed until that’s done. There will be no separate ribbon-cutting ceremony, since the county marked the occasion with the volunteer build day. We’ll share an update when the county announces an opening date.
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