Edwardsville, LC and Community Foundation Team Up on New All-Abilities Playground for Edwardsville

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – A new all-abilities playground will be constructed in the heart of Edwardsville, providing inclusive recreational options for all to enjoy. It will be built on Lewis & Clark Community College’s N.O. Nelson campus, fulfilling a goal shared by the City, the college and the Edwardsville Community Foundation to ensure accessible play areas are within reach of as many people as possible.

The Edwardsville City Council on October 7 unanimously approved a 20-year, $1-per-month lease with Lewis & Clark Community College for the playground site. It will be built just north of the City’s historic Nickel Plate Station, a welcome landmark on the campus at 600 Troy Road since early 2020.

"It's important that the City of Edwardsville offers an ADA-accessible playground so that all kids, regardless of their abilities, have a safe and accessible place to play without having to leave our community," said Ward 4 Alderman SJ Morrison. "This wouldn't be possible without the generous donation of lifelong Edwardsville resident Dave Kriege and the Edwardsville Community Foundation."

The City Council approved the expenditure of up to $600,000 for the playground. The costs will be covered by a donation from the David Kriege Family, the last owner of Kriege Hardware, which operated in the City for nearly a century. The Edwardsville Community Foundation was entrusted with using the donation to enhance the quality of life through recreation, preservation and beautification in the City. The all-abilities playground was first announced at the end of June, but location details had yet to be finalized.

“We’re thrilled to partner with the City of Edwardsville to bring a new all-abilities playground to our N.O. Nelson campus — a vibrant symbol of inclusion, collaboration, shared vision and fun,” said Dr. Ken Trzaska, the president of Lewis & Clark Community College. “This partnership reflects our deep commitment to access and community connection, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to serve and grow alongside every community we serve.”

Mayor Art Risavy praised the playground’s central location and access to parking, biking and walking trails and its proximity to neighborhoods. “This is a tremendous project that will bring joy to countless numbers of families and children,” Mayor Risavy added. “It’s a wonderful testament to the compassion and determination of our City officials and residents, Lewis & Clark Community College and the Edwardsville Community Foundation.”

Ward 7 Alderwoman Elizabeth Grant, who chairs the Administrative & Community Services Committee, which gave the initial approval for the project, noted that the playground would also be welcomed by the Lewis & Clark College for Life students. “That’s a very special group who will love having an inclusive space to use while on campus,” said Grant, who also teaches at Lewis & Clark. “I’m so excited about the vibrant environment that comes about through play.”

The all-abilities playground will be enclosed by a fence and include landscaping and other infrastructure enhancements that will be paid for out of the Edwardsville Enhancement Fund. That fund was established in 2023 with a dedicated quarter-percent sales tax for green space acquisition, park improvements, police and fire pensions and capital projects. The City is contracting with Cunningham Recreation to provide and install the playground, and has applied for a GameTime playground grant in the hope of further reducing costs. Project planning is currently underway, with construction and completion expected in 2026.

Article written by Cathy Hensley, Communications Coordinator for the City of Edwardsville