A New Accessible Play Park for El Paso County
Due to the limited number of safe, accessible outdoor recreational options in Northern El Paso County for people living with disabilities and senior citizens, we plan to build a universally accessible park for our community in downtown Monument.
The Heart of Monument Play Park (HOMP) project, a partnership between the Town of Monument, the Monument Hill Kiwanis Club, and Monument Community Presbyterian Church, will be built in historic downtown Monument and will be completed in three phases. Based upon the expense of building an accessible park where equipment and grounds have extra safety considerations to support people living with disabilities and senior citizens, the HOMP is estimated to cost $900,000.
The first phase that will make the HOMP ready for community use is estimated to cost $770,000. As of December 2025, we are very grateful for the individual philanthropists, foundations, and companies who have already invested! We are very close to accomplishing this first phase fundraising goal with the intention to break ground in Spring 2026 with a grand opening date later in the summer.
Conceptual Rendering for HOMP
Our goals for the Heart of Monument Play Park are to:
A. increase outdoor recreation opportunities for those living with disabilities and our senior citizens to enjoy time together with their families and friends,
B. promote healthy living for all, but especially those who do not have options when their mobility may be limited, and
C. create a regular destination in our downtown that encourages community gatherings, as well as increasing support for our local merchants.
The project partners implemented an extensive and thorough planning process over the last three years that engaged over 25 community groups including Special Olympics, local Autism support groups, school district #38, the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce, Jackson Creek Senior Living, the Penrose Library, and the YMCA. These community members directly informed the design of this new public space.
Next, we hired NES, a firm specializing in designing universally accessible playgrounds to incorporate community input and create the final park layout and conceptual designs. The conceptual design for the Heart of Monument Play Park will “have something for everyone” so that friends and family can all play together, and nobody is sidelined due to inadequate equipment. Children and adults who live with intellectual, developmental, or physical disabilities are often unable to play and enjoy a typical public park with their families and friends due to poor design that limits access and safety. There are currently only a few universally accessible parks located within El Paso County, and the distance to these parks can be a challenge for people living with disabilities, their caregivers, and their families. Individuals with disabilities and their families deserve options like the greater population of any community.
We are truly grateful to all who have already made an investment in the Heart of Monument Play Park with their donations, grants, and participation in community fundraisers. Once we have secured $770,000 in donations, grants, and sponsorships, we can send the conceptual designs for phase one out to bid to contractors with the intention to break ground next Spring. We invite EVERYONE in our community to consider supporting the project financially so that we can all play together as soon as next summer!!
For more information about how you can make a reality, please contact our volunteer project team lead, Scott Ross at scott@rosses.me (719-661-9078) or our volunteer fundraising lead, Sheila Ferguson at nonprofit.ldr.sheila@gmail.com(901-830-7896).
THANK YOU!!
*This info page is from https://heartofmonument.org/