Last month a new all-inclusive Jake’s Place playground was unveiled at Camden County’s New-Brooklyn Park in Winslow Township. This is the second all-inclusive playground for Camden County, with the original Jakes’s Place playground located in John Adler park in Cherry Hill NJ.
An all-inclusive playground is an integrated play area in which all children… those who are able, as well as those with disabilities… can play together interactively. The goal is to create a play area that is barrier-free for children using wheelchairs and other assistive devices, to play alongside others with ease.

This large Winslow playground project included the removal of the prior playground area, installation of all new equipment including pour-in-place rubber ground surface, and a fully rebuilt large parking area which supports the playground and the extended New Brooklyn Park.
I missed the ribbon cutting but was there a few days later on a very cold morning… the playground has been open for about a month now but January has just been so cold I held off a little bit on putting this online!

The playground really does offer innovative equipment and features… things I’ve never seen before!
There are multiple areas of equipment with a large center “island” that appears to have been designed as a structure rising out of the blue (rubber) water. It offers wide wheelchair accessible pathways up into the structure, including a really cool wheelchair accessible glider!

Throughout the center piece are a variety of activities and slides… even a ninja-course style stepping stone aspect.
The fenced in playground area has a variety of other equipment areas such as swings with molded bucket seats, rock walls, slides and climbing nets.
Another unique addition is a variety of play area elements such as the Farmer’s Market store where children can pretend they are operating the market, as well running a restaurant!

One section offers musical “xylophone” style instruments for children to make music together.
It’s a mixture of innovative equipment for all… not everything is for everyone, but everyone will have considerable fun activities and challenges to suit their abilities, while everyone is playing together.
“We are thrilled to welcome children and their families to the newest Jake’s Place Playground,” said Commissioner Jeffrey Nash. “The Board of Commissioners is committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all of our residents. No child should be deprived of the opportunity to play with their peers and Jake’s Place makes sure children of all abilities can have fun. We want to thank all of our partners who made this possible, especially the Cummings family for all of their advocacy and hard work.”

As reported by the Courier-Post last summer there has been a recent wave of grants enabling communities throughout South Jersey to develop these playgrounds including Hainesport, Monroe, Evesham, Pennsauken, Gloucester Twp, Washington Township and more.
This New Brooklyn Park “Jake’s Place” and related upgrades cost more than $1.8 million… With the State Green Acres program allocating $1,000,000 towards the effort.

The all-inclusive playground idea was started by the Nasto family of Pennsauken whose young son “Baby Jake” loved playgrounds, but due to heart disease found most of activities were not suited for him.
The family’s drive for more all-inclusive playgrounds reached the legislative level of New Jersey. Senator Jim Beach was the first legislator to champion the “Build Jake’s Place” cause, followed by Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald, Assembly members Pamela Lampitt and Gabriela Mosquer with Senator Nilsa Cruz-Perez.
In May of last year New Jersey Governor Murphy announced $40 million in Green Acre funding for all-inclusive playgrounds in 49 locations throughout the state.

Washington Township All-Inclusive Playground
Playgrounds are planned throughout the 42Freeway readership area including the Washington Lake Park in Washington Township Gloucester County
For Washington Township, The Blackbird Foundation is a local family created foundation focused on improving the quality of life for children with special needs led the effort to what is likely to be Gloucester County’s first all inclusive playground.

The Blackbird Foundation fundraised to put one of Gloucester County’s first all inclusive and adaptable playgrounds in Washington Lake Park. We received a $750,000 Green Acres Grant and an additional $450,000 from LD4 and privately fundraised the rest through community events and sponsors. Washington Lake Park is the largest municipal park in the state about 330 acres and this playground will be the largest in Gloucester County.
Mayor Anthony DellaPia was instrumental in helping me finalize this project after over 7 years of trying to bring an inclusive playground to Washington Township and to Gloucester County
The Blackbird Foundation
The Washington Lake Pake playground hopes to break ground in the Spring and be ready to open Summer 2025

Links and Location
Jake’s Place Playground Winslow
New Brooklyn Park
198 New Brooklyn Blackwood Rd
Sicklerville, NJ 08081