Carnegie leaders receive state grant to improve accessibility at local parks

CBS News

29-01-2025

CARNEGIE, Pa. (KDKA) -- Thanks to a state grant, leaders in Carnegie will soon be able to improve accessibility at local parks.
Lou Ann Chapple of Scott Township has a special needs daughter about to turn 25.
"They get stuck in their own little world," Chapple said.
Through the years, she's loved taking her to the local parks by Carnegie and Scott, but she always felt they could use some enhancements that benefit her child.
"Living with an autistic child is challenging as it is, and to ease the parent's mind, too," Chapple said.
Carnegie's leadership feels the same way. To improve accessibility at Carnegie Municipal Park off Forsyth and Irishtown Tot Park off Diamond Alley, the borough will receive $200,000.
Democratic State Representative Anita Kulik of the 45th District helped to push the grant through.
"This money is going to make the parks accessible to all children, no matter what their physical abilities are," Kulik said.
"The improvements to both parks will strengthen our commitment to inclusivity, recreation, and community well-being," Mayor Stacie Riley said in a statement to KDKA-TV.
Borough leaders said they want to remove physical and social barriers so all children will have an equal opportunity to play together.
They consulted families of children with disabilities and an organization that deals with special needs for insight. They determined the parks should have inclusive equipment, ground-level play opportunities, multi-sensory elements, and quiet spaces for children who may become overwhelmed or anxious.
Now, they'll move on to the design process next month.
"People travel around to get to a nice park, and this is just going to make Carnegie Park even better and more attractive to other communities," Kulik said.
The need is great. More children are getting diagnosed on the spectrum. According to the latest CDC data, one in 36 children in the U.S. has autism.
Chapple has noticed this and looks forward to the day when her daughter and others like her can feel more welcomed at parks.
"Trying to deal with it, it's always hard for parents and at least let the kids go and have an enjoyment and enjoy their time having fun like everybody else," Chapple said.
In the borough, the Boys and Girls Clubs also received more than $200,000 in state funding to replace the clubhouse's HVAC system.