Shaping the Future of Inclusive Play

Earlier this year, JC Parks took a significant step toward creating a more inclusive and accessible park system by launching a request for proposals (RFP) with two main objectives:

Conduct a comprehensive accessibility audit of parks and city sites
Propose a design with construction documents for the build-out of a “destination” inclusive playground

Following a competitive selection process, the steering committee—made up of community advocates, professionals working with individuals with disabilities, and JC Parks staff—chose Crafton Tull to lead the effort. Their team conducted a full-scale accessibility audit at 11 parks and city sites, identifying areas for improvement to ensure our parks are welcoming to all.

While their final findings are still in progress, you can explore preliminary data from the site study here: Interactive Accessibility Map.

Community Voices in Action

Last night, Crafton Tull hosted a public workshop, inviting residents to engage in shaping the future of JC Parks’ accessibility. Attendees rotated through interactive stations, where they:

Reviewed mapped accessibility studies
Placed pins on features they enjoyed, thought needed improvement, or disliked
Voted for their top choices of four proposed park additions
Shared their “needs”, “wants”, and “new ideas” on a group chart

The session wrapped up with opportunities to complete a digital survey and enjoy refreshments. If you missed the event, there’s still time to participate!

We Need Your Input!

The digital survey remains open through April 18, 2025, and your feedback is crucial in shaping the future of accessibility in JC Parks. Take the survey now: Click Here to Share Your Thoughts.

What Makes This Plan Unique?

Unlike a traditional parks and recreation master plan, this initiative focuses on site-specific improvements informed by direct public engagement. With expertise from architects, landscape architects, and planners, the plan will highlight ways to enhance access across the parks system—from playgrounds and picnic areas to sidewalks and trails. The 2018 Jefferson City Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Master Plan already identified accessibility recommendations, and this project will help bring those improvements to life.

Check out the webmap linked above to explore site project photos and see how JC Parks is working toward a more inclusive future. Together, we can make our parks places where everyone belongs.