Prince William Parks & Recreation, Amazon and KABOOM! Unveil Kid-Designed Inclusive Playground at George Hellwig Memorial Park

Today, kids at George Hellwig Memorial Park in Prince William County are celebrating as the county debuts a kid-designed, community-built inclusive playground. The months-long collaboration between Prince William Parks & Recreation, Amazon, and KABOOM! culminated this week as more than 200 volunteers came together to build a playspace where children of all abilities can play, connect, and experience the joy of childhood.

Located next to the Dr. Richard Tami Miracle Field at Hellwig, the playground will serve more than 900 children a year, complementing an existing community resource where dozens of children and young adults with disabilities participate in Miracle League baseball each year. With accessible play features, the new space will extend opportunities for recreation beyond the baseball field, welcoming children of varying abilities and their families.

The playground reflects the creativity and vision of local children. During a Design Day in August, kids shared drawings of their dream playspaces, which helped shape the final playground design. Their ideas came to life this week as volunteers from the community and partner organizations worked together to build the new space.

“Every child deserves a place where they can feel welcome, included, and free to play,” said Janet Bartnik, Acting Director for Prince William County Parks and Recreation. “This new playspace makes that promise more real for families in our community, offering accessible opportunities for children of varying abilities to experience the fun, confidence, and connection that play provides. We are proud to see this vision, shaped by local kids, become a reality.”

Playing is the essence of childhood and is a critical developmental need that provides countless physical, social, and mental health benefits. However, far too many children, especially in communities of color, do not have a place to play near where they live or learn. The new playground at George Hellwig Memorial Park, designed with the neighborhood’s unique needs and aspirations in mind, brings Prince William County one step closer toward ending playspace inequity and ensuring that no matter where a child lives or their background, they have limitless opportunities and joyful childhoods that are centered around play.

“Playgrounds are an iconic part of childhood, where kids build confidence, connection, and memories that last a lifetime,” said Lysa Ratliff, CEO of KABOOM!. “As KABOOM! celebrates 30 years of protecting childhood through play, we’re proud to partner with Prince William Parks & Recreation and Amazon to bring this new playspace to life. This project reflects the power of communities and partners working together to create joyful, welcoming spaces where kids feel valued and belong. Especially in today’s challenging environment for children, it’s more important than ever that we come together to ensure every kid has access to safe, inspiring places to play and grow.”

As KABOOM! celebrates its 30th year, the organization is expanding their capacity to build and transform playspaces where need is greatest. KABOOM! is prioritizing public-private partnerships, data-driven research, policy, and advocacy to advance systems-level change across municipalities and school districts, ensuring children’s physical and mental health is centered in how communities plan for the future—so every kid can grow up happy, healthy, and thriving.

Amazon's support for the new playground reflects its commitment to being a good neighbor in the communities where its employees live, work, and play. The playground is also part of Amazon’s broader effort to build more sustainable communities, inspire the next generation of STEM leaders, develop a skilled workforce, and make a lasting local impact across Prince William County. 

"This playground will serve more than 900 children a year, and knowing it was shaped by the very kids who will play here makes it even more meaningful," said Matthew Mayer, PWC Community Engagement Manager for Amazon. "We believe the best partnerships start by listening to the community and we're proud to be part of a community that comes together like this."