At last night’s Board of Park Commissioners’ meeting, Jeff Warnock, parks superintendent, gave an update on the handicapped accessible playground project.  He stated that he and Tammy Conforti drove around and surveyed the city’s various parks, and have narrowed it down to a few places.  The best location, they both feel, is Tot Park, which was donated by the Rotary Club, down by Kenosha’s lakefront.

Warnock said that “it is in a great location.  We can modify the paths.  Almost everything is set up that way.  It leads to Beaver Pond and the splashpad.  Walkways are already in place.  It all looks like it’s a go,” he said.

Conforti passed out several pictures which were taken at Sunday’s playdate in Port Washington.  Click here for a report on that event:  Play Date in Port Washington.  She said that about 50 to 60 people were in attendance.   Alderpersons Rocco LaMacchia and Scott Gordon came to the playground and saw it.  LaMacchia had only the best things to say about it.  “It was truly breathtaking,” he said.  “Kenosha’s can be better than that.  We have the walkways that they don’t have.”  LaMacchia also said it was great “until the bees became bothersome.  Since I’m allergic to bees, I had to leave.”

Conforti said that “no one is too old to play,” as is evidenced by the picture of an 86-year-old grandma who was swinging on the swings.  She encouraged those who couldn’t make it that day to go visit on another day.  “It’s only about an hour, or an hour and 20 minutes from Kenosha.  Then, you’ll have the vision in your head that I have for how this could look in Kenosha.”

Conforti said that they have a new Facebook page, and that they will have a link on the Kenosha Achievement Center (KAC) page.  Donations can be accepted through the KAC website.  “We will also be creating our own stationery for solicitation letters and donation thank-you’s,” she said.  “We may even have our own web site.”

The issue of the Rotary Club sign was discussed.  Apparently, Fire Chief John Thomsen said that they were not removing the Rotary Club placque.  Conforti said that there were two pavilions at the Port Washington park, one with the Rotary sign, and the other with the Kiwanis sign.  She was also asking for the alderpersons’ endorsements.  “So far, I only have one in my portfolio,” she said.  “Plus,” she said, “we also received some donations yesterday.”