Warren County Realtors® Help Fund Inclusive Playground

A new park in Warren provides some unique opportunities for children with special needs, thanks to additional funding provided by the Warren County Board of Realtors®. The Lacy Park Multi-Sensory Inclusive Playground now offers children with special needs a playground with equipment designed for them.

WCBR received a $4,500 Placemaking Grant from the National Association of Realtors® to help transform Lacy Park into a more inclusive space for the community and special needs children to enjoy. The NAR grant is intended to help Realtor® associations partner with other organizations to plan, organize, implement and maintain placemaking projects in their communities.

In addition, the local board received a $500 Century of Service grant from the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors® for this project. The Century of Service grants are being given to local Realtor® associations in celebration of the state association’s 100th anniversary.

WCBR contributed the grant monies to help fund the new amenities at Lacy Park, which include off-street ADA-compliant parking, ADA-compliant bathrooms, a new pavilion and a connectivity path to all areas of the park. In addition, the park includes new playground equipment tailored for children on the special-needs spectrum to help to create a relaxing and calming effect, activating various perception areas for those who suffer from neurological impairments. The park is also wheelchair accessible and includes a wheelchair swing.

WCBR partnered with the city of Warren, the Rotary Club of Warren and the Warren County Development Association and other organizations on this project, who have also made this project possible.

Realtors® from Warren County volunteered their time on Friday, Aug. 21 to help spread mulch and complete other tasks at the park.

“Our Realtor® members were pleased to assist with this worthy community project and help provide some additional needed funding,” said Julie French, president of the Warren County Board of Realtors®. “Realtors® live, work and volunteer in our communities and take immense pride in working to improve them. Placemaking can help foster healthier, more social and economically viable communities. This grant will allow us to address the needed enhancement and revitalization in Lacy Park and create a place where friends and neighbors can come together.”