Moms petitioning for more accessible playgrounds across Lincoln neighborhoods
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Full of energy, but nowhere to go.
That’s the story for several families across Lincoln, specifically Jessica Knobbe and Sara Fish.
“We just kind of discovered, there’s not a park nearby,” Knobbe said. “And to walk here is a trek.”
Knobbe and Fish moved to the Crown Pointe neighborhood in southeast Lincoln a little over a year ago, and realized there is no space for kids to play.
With the nearest parks well over a mile away, the two moms took action by launching a petition to highlight the need for more playgrounds.
“It’s been really interesting,” Knobbe said. “I think at first I thought maybe it was going to just be us and a couple of moms in the neighborhood being like ‘yeah sure we need a park.’ But it’s been overwhelmingly positive. I think everyone has said something to the effect of ‘Lincoln needs more parks.'”
The petition has gained over 200 signatures, almost halfway to its goal of 500.
After that, the moms hope to find a way to work alongside Lincoln Parks and Recreation to build a park accessible to all kids.
“That has been another comment is people are just requesting getting park access for kids who are in a wheelchair, or who can’t go through gravel to get there,” Knobbe said.
And the benefits of playgrounds go beyond play; they help build a child’s development.
“If you have a neighborhood park, it would be an opportunity for them to develop more friendships and community,” Fish said. “That’s going to help them with a lot of things in life, like mental health and physical health.”
Channel 8 reached out to Lincoln Parks and Rec for a comment:
We appreciate the enthusiasm and advocacy we’re seeing from Crown Pointe residents and other advocates for parks in Lincoln. Our priority is to serve all Lincoln residents and ensure equitable access to neighborhood parks city-wide. We are currently looking into options for the Crown Pointe area and look forward to working with neighborhood residents as conversations continue.
