Nick Corwin Park in Winnetka is now open again with new playground equipment and a celebratory event is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 12.
The park was closed to allow the dismantling of the older playground equipment to be sent to Ghana as part of Jake Claybrook’s Eagle Scout project. Claybrook, a member of Troop Scout 18, traveled to the Western Region of Ghana along with his mother Teresa Claybrook, a former Park District Commissioner, to help rebuild the playground for area schoolchildren to use.
“I think the playground has gotten more use in one week than it ever has in Winnetka,” Jake Claybrook told the Winnetka Park District Board at the July 20 Board meeting.
Current Park District Commissioner Warren James also joined the trip to help reassemble the equipment.
“Thanks to this remarkable effort, children across the globe now have access to quality playground equipment while enhancing their community spaces,” James said in a news release from the Park District. “This initiative exemplifies the community spirit at the heart of the Winnetka Park District.”
The new playground was designed by Winnetka Park District Landscape Architect Rick Schram. The redesign incorporates improved accessibility and safety standards as well as an expansion, according to the news release. It is designed with a natural theme and features canopies, an adaptive swing and a redesigned sand cove.
– Original Credit: Handout
– Original Credit: Handout
“We are delighted to invite the community to rediscover Nick Corwin Park and the wonderful new playground,” said Schram. “This grand reopening represents a significant milestone in our commitment to providing safe and engaging recreational spaces for all.”
The grand reopening is set to begin at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12 at Nick Corwin Park (1550 Edgewood Lane) and will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Ice cream will be available for attendees while supplies last. Celebrations are set to end at 4 p.m.
