
Gaylord's Veterans Community Park Playscape offers fun for all
Playgrounds are great places for children and families from all walks of life to spend time together, have fun, and make memories.
But not all playgrounds are created equal when it comes to accessibility.
However, thanks to the efforts of an organizing committee, dedicated volunteers, generous donors, and several grants, — including a recent one from Great Lakes Energy’s People Fund, the Gaylord area is well on its way to having a playground that will offer fun for all – including people with mobility limitations.
Courtney Willits, a member of the Gaylord VFW Post 1518 Auxiliary and member of a three-person committee heading up an effort to build the Veterans Community Park Playscape, said the playground is part of the post’s larger Veterans Community Park project, which has been underway since 2017.
Thanks to earlier VFW efforts, the park, located at 1905 S. Otsego Ave. in Gaylord, already has an events pavilion and a landscaped flag-lined entrance. It will eventually also be the site of a new building to serve as the post’s home.
Courtney said that about seven years ago, as plans for the park were coming together, the VFW post commander came to her with an idea from the post’s membership to build a playground to complement to the planned features for the park property.
Although children are the primary users of playgrounds, the idea to make this playground accessible for people with disabilities initially grew out of a desire to make it easier for post members who have mobility issues to enjoy the playground with their grandchildren.
Courtney said as planning continued, the committee discovered that there weren’t any playgrounds designed for people with disabilities in the Gaylord area.
“We got to thinking about it and realized that there’s nothing like this in our area,” Courtney said. “It’s really an unmet need.”
In fact, she pointed to 2022 census data that show about 12% of Otsego County under the age of 65 have a disability. For the city of Gaylord, that percentage jumps to more than 21%.
Thanks in part to a $5,000 grant from the People Fund, the first of the four planned phases of the playground was installed in August with the help of many volunteers.
The first phase, which cost about $54,000, included installing many of the stand-alone playground pieces that will make up the 100 by 70-foot playscape. The next two phases will include installing the main play barrier-free play structure and the final phase will involve pouring a special rubberized surface for the entire playground area.
Courtney said the rubberized surface is especially important because it offers enough cushioning to enhance safety while still providing a smooth, stable surface for walkers, canes, and wheelchairs.
In the meantime, much like many playgrounds, woodchips will serve as the temporary playground surface.
Courtney said fundraising is already underway for the next phases, which are expected to cost an additional $450,000.
Following the positive feedback the committee has received on the first phase of the project, Courtney said excitement is high to complete the playground’s remaining phases.
“We think the playground will be a great asset for more than just people who live in the Gaylord area,” Courtney said. “I fully expect the playground will draw families who don’t have access to this type of opportunity in their own community.”
Anyone who would like to support the playground effort – either financially, or by volunteering – may contact Courtney at (616) 970-1073. More information about the Gaylord VFW Post and its many projects and activities can be found online at vfw1518.org/.

Making a difference
Since its inception in 1999, Great Lakes Energy’s People Fund has awarded more than $4.8 million in grants to nonprofit organizations that serve GLE’s 26-county service area. Grants are funded by participating GLE members who agree to have their monthly electric bill rounded up to the next whole dollar. To learn more about the People Fund, including how to sign up, how nonprofit organizations can apply for a grant, and a list of recent grant recipients, visit gtlakes.com/people-fund.