Dear Councilwoman (Diane) Coleman:

I was delighted to learn about Jersey City?s plans to improve our parks, and as a native who has returned to the city of my birth ? now with my own family to enjoy the progress that has been implemented, the revitalization efforts to improve the quality of existing parks is tantamount. It is with the aforementioned anticipation that I humbly offer suggestions about enhancing our existing parks with necessary play zones for special-needs children.

Currently, no places in our city offer gated areas with harnessed swings; cushioned jungle gyms, play ramps and other stimulating equipment for our special needs population with autism, cerebral palsy and other gross motor disabilities such as blindness and deafness, to name a few of the impairments that our young children and their families live with. The void of zoned play areas forces families with the means to drive beyond our city limits to seek out the ?perfect? play area for their children or for our low-income families to rely on the public school systems to provide daily outlets that are safer than their neighborhood parks. These realities guide me to ask the Jersey City municipal government to implement an initiative to include areas for disabled children in parks throughout the city.

My definition of the ideal playground originates from my own tireless journey to locate parks that are equipped with harnessed swings, larger rubberized jungle gyms, spinners, fire engine replicas for hide-and-seek and unfortunately: nonexistent visible signage to inform parents with able-bodied children that zones for disabled children means that special-needs boys and girls have preferential play time on such labeled equipment. Providing zones for special-needs children would drive home our government?s message to create a community for everyone to enjoy.

Jersey City stands at a pivotal crossroads; it can become the Gold Coast for the wealthy and well-heeled residents who benefit from the verdant and vigilantly manicured playgrounds of Newport Green; Hamilton and Van Vorst Parks; while working class and poor citizens accept the ravaged and often times neglected fields that predominate Ward F. Some opponents of my proposal may highlight the forthcoming premiere of Berry Lane Park as the harbinger for social equality and renewal ? that it was once a toxic landfill but is now a symbolic 21st century bridge that links the haves with the have-nots of our great city.

I do applaud all of the rudimentary efforts that your cohorts have pursued to narrow the social and economic gaps that are endemic in our city, however, I believe that we must review the negligence we have exhibited toward our disabled population as people who deserve the same access to recreation and a fair quantity of outdoor play equipment on which they too can enjoy the sun?s rays. You and I are both mothers to special-needs children so I do know that an initiative of this magnitude would benefit thousands of families like ours, and place Jersey City at the forefront of advocating for disabled children in this manner.

I offer my commitment to volunteer to assist you in forming a committee that consists of local organizations, the Jersey City Special Education Department?s Parent Advisory Committee and anyone else who has the fortitude to recognize that funding play zones for our disabled children is for the public good.

I am very proud to enjoy our city?s continued renaissance while hoping to play a vital role in providing all our children with areas to play in the sunshine.

Thank you for taking the time to review my proposal.

D. BUTTERFLY WEBB
COMMUNITY ACTIVIST FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN
JERSEY CITY