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Plainfield to replace Hannah Atkins playground with inclusive equipment; mayor announces homeless‑prevention office and FEMA outreach
Summary
Mayor Adrian Olmatt told council the city will demolish and replace Hannah Atkins Park playground with ADA‑inclusive equipment using Green Acres and capital funds, seek resident input via an online survey, and create a new Office of Homeless Prevention; public commenters asked about pool replacement, inclusive playground equipment, and nearby community‑fitness uses.
The City of Plainfield will replace the aging playground at Hannah Atkins Park with an inclusive, porous‑surface playground and supporting amenities, Mayor Adrian Olmatt told the council.
Olmatt said the playground will be removed and replaced with fully accessible equipment, wheelchair‑accessible picnic tables, family restrooms, a quiet‑play area and accommodations for sensory and cognitive needs. The city has applied for Green Acres funding, and capital dollars have been allocated to make playgrounds ADA inclusive. Council and staff noted the porous surface will be a rubberized, impact‑absorbing material (SEG 151–188; SEG 466–496).
During the public hearing on the park, community members proposed additional amenities and asked whether the existing pool and the building with the site namesake would be demolished and whether the new playground would include equipment usable by children in wheelchairs. Abraham Salmon (seg 328–336) asked for a calisthenics park where competitive teams could practice; another resident asked for colorful retaining walls and confirmation about the pool (SEG 377–394). Public‑works staff and the director responded that initial work for Hannah Atkins focuses on a new inclusive playground, that the pool structure will be removed and replaced as part of later phases, and that separate projects (including a spray park at Rushmore and additional playground work) are planned as part of a multi‑phase park program (SEG 400–446; SEG 465–481).
The mayor also announced FEMA‑related outreach: homeowners in FEMA‑designated eligible areas were mailed information about a flood‑mitigation informational session scheduled for Jan. 13 at the PPAC, and the city plans to apply for federal elevation/flood mitigation funds on behalf of eligible residents (SEG 248–279).
On homelessness, Olmatt said the city is creating an Office of Homeless Prevention within the Health and Social Services department. The job posting for a social worker to staff the office has been posted, and staff are working with grant writers to identify funding to support early‑intervention services beginning in early 2025 (SEG 283–309). Council members and residents raised concerns about long‑term solutions such as rent control and the immediate needs of people currently experiencing homelessness; the mayor said the office will address prevention and that additional legislation is expected in early 2025 (SEG 2469–2491).
What happens next: the Hannah Atkins Green Acres application (R46224) and related park funding items were added to the consent agenda for formal approval; public‑works staff expect design/specs to go out to bid in January with construction work targeted for spring/summer 2025 where possible (SEG 871–976; SEG 973–981).
