WAUWATOSA, Wis.— A $22 million park designed to give people of all ages and abilities a place to play is officially moving forward in Wauwatosa.
Moss Universal Park broke ground Wednesday, September 16, on the 18-acre property along Wisconsin Avenue. The project will transform the existing park into an inclusive recreation space with adaptive playground equipment, a sensory-safe play area and a ballpark that can accommodate different types of play.
Founder Damian Buchman, a childhood cancer survivor, has spent years working to bring the project to life.
Many joined the ground breaking event to congratulate and pay respects to Buchman to his dedication and persistence during this project.
Buchman says the park is meant to create a space where families can participate together, no matter the circumstances.
“Why ​do ​we ​limit ​people ​from ​going ​beyond ​the ​playground?” Buchman said. “​When ​we ​limit ​somebody ​going ​from ​beyond ​the ​playground, ​then ​their ​able ​bodied ​friends ​feel ​like ​they ​can’t ​go ​either. Why ​are ​we ​limiting ​their ​play? ​That’s ​been ​the ​conversation ​of ​this ​park ​since ​day ​one. ​So ​today ​we’re ​going ​to ​break ​ground ​on ​the ​country’s ​first ​universal ​ballpark.”
Children’s Wisconsin Pediatrician-in-Chief Dr. David Margolis was also involved in the project. Margolis treated Buchman during his childhood cancer battle.
He says children dealing with extended hospital stays and difficult treatments still need opportunities to simply be kids.
“Kids ​have ​to ​be ​kids, parents ​have ​to ​be ​parents, grandparents ​have ​to ​be ​grandparents and ​friends ​have ​to ​be ​friends,” he said.
The park is named after the late George French Moss, a Wauwatosa resident whose $3 million contribution helped launch the capital campaign.
Plans call for recreational opportunities that can serve children, families, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities.
The project is located near the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center and St. Camillus senior living community.
Organizers say the completed park will be the first and largest of its kind in the country. Phase one of the project is expected to be complete in the fall of 20-27.
