The Town of Berthoud’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously to use a cap of $650,000 of uncommitted park development and improvement funds toward the construction of the Berthoud Adaptive Park Project. The vision for an adaptive park in Colorado’s Front Range was inspired by Lauren and Richard Bowling in partnership with Colorado’s nonprofit Can’d Aid.
The park’s developer, Schroyer Resources, with LGI Homes in Colorado, Dream Finders Homes, and Post Modern Development, also donated $200,000 to the area’s first inclusive-play public playground, bringing the total donations for the park to over $1 million to date. Star Playgrounds is the park’s landscape architect.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the playground, which is currently accepting business sponsorships for select adaptive equipment, is confirmed for April 2024, with volunteer-led events and construction continuing throughout the summer and fall.
The Bowlings began advocating for an accessible park in the Berthoud area on behalf of their son Miles, who lives with cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. The playground will be a premier destination for inclusive play, allowing people of all abilities to come together and play.
“Thank you to the Board of Trustees for helping us make this dream a reality. Their game-changing vote of support will push our project closer to the finish line, but this park has been a true community effort from the beginning,” says Lauren Bowling. “People of all ages and backgrounds have come together, from individual donations to corporate sponsors, to help make Berthoud a place that provides healthy and fun opportunities for all children.”
The park is also made possible by local fundraising efforts, including the Bowling family’s iconic annual Lemonade Stand which raised nearly $40,000 over three years. In 2024, the Berthoud Adaptive Park Project is continuing to raise funds for sponsored equipment that will make the park as accessible and inclusive as possible. The park also hopes to find a sponsor for a permanent Lemonade Stand, providing a space for the community-minded children in the area to continue to hold fundraisers for future community projects.
Can’d Aid is a nationally recognized nonprofit that rallies volunteers from all walks of life to build thriving communities. Through their unique integrated approach, they increase access and opportunities for underserved youth to experience music, arts and the outdoors, and protect and restore the environment.
