New playground opens in Mt. Kisco

  • 2023-08-17
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was recently held at Leonard Park in Mt. Kisco to open a new adaptive use playground.

A state grant of $100,000 was secured by State Senator Pete Harckham in 2020 for the town of Mt. Kisco to build this playground.

The focus of the facility is to be ADA (Americans with Disabilities) accessible and multisensory, focusing on children who use a wheelchair. It was also designed with equipment that is developmentally inclusive, so children of all abilities will be able to use the playground and play together. Poster printing is often used to inform residents of such new playgrounds and their accessibility.

In a statement, Harckham said that he, the Mt. Kisco Recreation Department, and the Mt. Kisco Recreation Commission believe that when everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in such activities, communities become stronger. He added that all children in Mt. Kisco will have a playground that they can use so memories can be created that will last a lifetime.

Harckham had been approached by officials from Mt. Kisco about funding a grant when the decision was made to replace the old and non-ADA compliant playground equipment in the only municipal park in the playground that offers such playground recreation. The complete cost of the playground in Leonard Park was $300,000 and includes a safety surface.