Matteo’s Dream at Hillcrest Park
Concord is home to Matteo’s Dream – A Playground for Children of All Abilities, one of the few playgrounds in the nation where children who cannot walk, see or hear can play safely alongside children who can. Matteo’s Dream, which opened in May 2007, is the largest playground in the City, located in Hillcrest Park.
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The playground, designed by Leathers and Associates, includes a long, curving ramp that leads to a wheelchair-accessible treehouse. There are textured slides for blind kids and metal slides for kids with cochlear ear implants. The ramps and pathways are wide enough for two wheelchairs to pass. Located in Hillcrest Park, the playground project was spearheaded by Concord resident Liz Lamach whose son, Matteo, uses a wheelchair and is blind. As a member of the City of Concord Parks, Recreation and Open Space Commission and the Lions Club of Contra Costa and Alameda Counties, Lamach brought people together to make Matteo’s dream of an accessible playground a reality. During the build that took place from April 20 to 29, 2007 over 2,000 volunteers constructed the massive playground, the largest in Concord covering an area a third the size of a football field. The playground incorporated many accessible elements allowing children with disabilities to play alongside able-bodied children. Accessible elements and fun features include:
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