Family Tides
Families visiting John F. Kennedy Park in Somers Point may have noticed that much of the playground equipment has seemingly disappeared. But there is good news behind the empty space: a fully inclusive overhaul is underway.
The updates to the park will create the city’s first inclusive playground, funded through the state’s Green Acres Completely Inclusive Playgrounds Pilot Program. Proposed additions include wheelchair swings, braille signage, adaptive seesaws and poured-in-place rubber surfacing, among other features, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Acres Program 2025 project descriptions.
According to the same project descriptions report, the pilot program provides 75% matching grants to local governments for inclusive playground construction that meets standards set by the Department of Community Affairs under Jake’s Law, which was passed in 2018 to encourage the construction of inclusive playgrounds designed with standards exceeding those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Interest-free loan funding is also available through the program.
The city announced earlier this year that it planned to seek Green Acres funding for both the inclusive playground and updates to the bike path.
“The general philosophy of the city council, and of the city as a whole, is we’re welcoming to everybody, and we want our facilities to be accessible to everyone. This playground will continue in accordance with that policy,” said Somers Point City Councilman Sean McGuigan. “It’s important to me, as well as the rest of the city council, that we are a welcoming community.”
McGuigan said that a new path will allow wheelchair users to access the public restrooms across the park from the playground area. He said that Greg Schneider, the city’s engineer, was among those who put in the legwork to secure the grant to replace the playground equipment.
“We hope that it creates another option for recreation — we pride ourselves on our recreational options in the community,” McGuigan said, noting that the playground updates are projected to wrap up by spring 2026.
The city also received a separate grant for improvements to its bike path.
“We’re also working with a grant that’s going to allow us to enhance our bike path,” McGuigan explained. “That grant is going to allow us to get exercise stations in various locations on the bike path.”
The Green Acres Program 2025 descriptions list proposed upgrades from Groveland Avenue to Ocean Heights Avenue to include “bench improvements, installation of outdoor fitness stations and interpretive signage, rehabilitation of shelters and landscaping.”
JFK Park received a $105,750 loan award and a $317,250 matching grant, for a total award of $423,000. For the bike path, the loan award is $256,500, with a matching grant of $85,500, for a total of $342,000. The loans are 0% loans, and the city does not have to match the amounts or any percentage of the ground grant amounts.
The funding for these updates is part of more than $131 million in Green Acres investments for parks, recreation and open space projects statewide, according to an April press release from the Department of Environmental Protection.
Established in 1961, the Green Acres Program works to preserve and enhance the state’s natural environment and its historic, scenic and recreational resources.
“Green Acres projects are among the most important we undertake because they ensure that every New Jersey community has access to quality parks, recreation facilities and opportunities,” Gov. Murphy stated in the press release. “From inclusive playgrounds to development of trails and preservation of natural ecosystems, we are focused on improving the quality of life for neighborhoods and families long burdened by a variety of environmental and public health stressors.”
For more information about the Green Acres Program, visit dep.nj.gov/greenacres.
Madison Russ is an award-winning journalist, copy editor and adjunct professor of communication based in Atlantic County. An Ocean City native, Madison is passionate about telling stories that matter to locals, often spotlighting nonprofits and exploring the area’s vibrant arts scene.
