Josh's Jungle, A New Playground For All Children, Set To Open In Hamden

A new playground specially made for handicapped children is under construction in Hamden, thanks to a push by a mother and her son.

Josh's Jungle will soon open in Town Center Park, according to the New Haven Register. The park is largely due to the efforts of Jennifer Tramontano, whose own son - Josh Tramontano - uses a wheelchair because he has spinal muscular atrophy, according to The Register.

When Josh was a boy, there was no playgrounds in town for children with disabilities, according to the New Haven Register. So after 10 years of trying, Tramontano managed to get a $200,000 grant from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to build the playground, according to the Register.

In February, the Legislative Council approved the plans, paving the way for construction.

The 7,000 square-foot playground has multiple tiers, games and slides and the ground is soft, poured rubber, according to the New Haven Register. And although Josh, who is now 14, probably won't use it because he is now too old, he is happy it is there.

“It feels great because kids like me in wheelchairs could have a playground to play on that everyone can play on, not just kids in wheelchairs,” Josh told the New Haven Register.