Marple Township Unveils Veterans Memorial Park’s New All-Abilities Playground

Our Community Written by Holly Stupak

Photos courtesy of Marple Township

Children of all ages and abilities can now enjoy a beautiful, state-of-the-art all-inclusive playground right here in Marple. This spring, Veterans Memorial Park will welcome visitors to a new inclusive playground and a multi-generational gathering space for community enjoyment, socialization and imaginative fun.

Located on Lawrence Road in Broomall, Veterans Memorial Park has been attracting visitors since it opened more than 20 years ago. When the 25-acre park was developed back in 1997, the goal was to provide a multi-generational recreation area with an emphasis on conservation and preservation.

Marple residents have continued to flock to the park daily for its walking track, playground and bocce ball and horseshoe courts. Rotary Field, which the Broomall Rotary Club helped establish, provides an area for both active and passive recreation activities and is used for organized soccer games. The gazebo in the park has always been a focal point, making it the perfect setting and stage for local outdoor events like the Marple Christmas Tree Lighting and Easter Egg Hunts.

The original playground at Veterans Memorial Park

Although the playground equipment at the park was still in decent condition, Marple Township manager Larry Gentile said it was time to add more modern play equipment and make the park accessible to children of all abilities.

Playgrounds are a safe place for all children to come together and have fun. No matter where they come from or their circumstances, they should have equal access to them,” said Larry. “I’m not only talking about the essentials, but playground features that make children feel right at home at their playground.

Modeled after the local accessible playgrounds like Haverford’s Freedom Playground and Smiles in the Playground in Aston, the township worked with our Parks and Recreation Board and the Pennoni Engineering firm to create what Larry said is a spectacular upgrade.

The new pavilion and playground at Veterans Memorial Park

The new playground includes an extensive variety of activities that promote social interaction, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, and sensory integration. A zipline, a wheelchair accessible carousel as well as a sensory dome are just some of the new features. The dome is filled with stimulating sensory play activities and designed with a large amount and variety of ground level activities. Made by Kompan, a leading playground manufacturer, the dome is the first of its kind in the United States and serves to benefit children of all ages and abilities in cross-coordination, balance and spatial awareness.

In addition to the new playground equipment, the renovation also includes 52 new parking spaces as well as a newly renovated comfort station with restrooms and a baby changing area. A pavilion area has also been added for moms, dads and other caregivers to enjoy while watching their children play. And scattered around the area will be park benches so caregivers can relax while keeping a close eye on their little ones.

The new all-abilities playground at Veterans Memorial Park

This $1.5 million overhaul was a collaborative effort of Marple’s Board of Commissioners, the Parks and Recreation department, and the Broomall Rotary Club (BRC) and would never have happened without the support of Marple residents. To help with funding, the township received $425,000 in grants from Delco Greenways Grant Program, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and Greenways Trails & Recreation Program. Generous donations were also received from the Marple Township Parks and Recreation fund and the BRC.

The BRC has been dedicated to projects that support their Broomall neighbors for more than fifty years and the group has been instrumental in helping to develop and improve Veterans Memorial Park. Back in the 1990s when the park was being developed, the BRC raised funds through groups like the Foxcroft Estates, a group of residents from the Foxcroft neighborhood. The donors plaque at the entrance to the Broomall Rotary Field honors them for the generous donation they made to add athletic fields to Veterans Memorial Park.

Presidents of the club in the mid- 1990s like Lou Spano and Carl Brenner, as well as prominent local business owners like Frank Videon of Videon Funeral homes had a vested interest in the park and saw a need for soccer fields in the township. They were able to raise $50,000 dollars towards building the park back in 1997.

The new pavilion and playground at Veterans Memorial Park

Twenty years after the park was built, the BRC once again was able to support the township’s efforts to improve the park. In 2020, Marple resident and business owner Lou Pace served as president of the club and he took a special interest in revamping the playground. Lisa Miller began working with Lou on the project; she made it her mission to follow through on Lou’s legacy project after she became president of the club in 2021. Over the past few years, the BRC held several fundraisers and, despite facing difficult challenges during the pandemic, Lisa and Lou were able to present the township commissioners with $17,800 towards the new playground.

Larry said he cannot wait to welcome children to the park this spring, especially his own grandchildren. “It will definitely be the gem of the neighborhood!,” he said. “We know our residents will enjoy using this space and we look forward to seeing children of all abilities and all ages playing here together.” Stay tuned for more information about the playground’s grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony coming later this month. Visit the Veterans Memorial Park and Broomall Rotary Club Facebook pages for updates and www.MarpleTwp.com for information about all of Broomall’s local parks.