DUNNING — The New Horizon Center for the Developmentally Disabled publicly unveiled its new outdoor recreation area Wednesday morning, following more than a year of planning and construction.
A thick crowd of students, parents and community benefactors packed under a newly-built pavilion and watched members of the center's board of directors cut the ribbon in front of a fresh-paved parking lot and excavated mounds of dirt, a reminder that some of the work remained unfinished.
"Our work isn't done here yet, and neither is our fundraising," said Patti Palmer, the center's managing director, to the gathered attendees at New Horizon, 6737 W. Forest Preserve Drive. "But our vision is complete, thanks to everyone who's lent their support."
After acquiring a 1.25-acre plot of land from the city in early 2015, the center — which holds day classes for 37 children and 28 adults with disabilities — raised more than $650,000 for the project, Palmer said.
Support and funding came from an eclectic mix of private citizens and public figures, with a local autism foundation donating stationary drums and xylophones, and Terra Engineering offering equipment for construction. Eli's Cheesecake, next door at 6701 W. Forest Preserve Drive, kicked in funding as well.
Ald. Ed Burke (14th) pulled strings to help move extra dirt off the property when construction hit a speed bump, Palmer added.
"I'm amazingly pleased and gratified at all of the people who came through for us," Palmer said. "It really shows how many people really cared enough to improve the lives of these children and adults."
Before the addition, students had been playing and biking in the school's parking lot, which Palmer said was "dangerous for any children, but especially for children with disabilities."
On top of the pavilion and musical instruments, the new plot includes a paved walkway and astroturf yard flat enough for wheelchairs to cruise over. Once the remaining excavated ground is flattened out, it will give way to an open grass field, staffers said.
The design was drawn up with a special eye toward people with autism and other similar conditions, with every surface planned in a way that would "challenge" and stimulate students while making them feel safe, Palmer said.
Music therapist Joel Kay led a demonstration of the stationary drum set, chimes and xylophones on Wednesday, saying that they'd help the students achieve "sensory stimulation" in whatever way best suited them.
For Jean and Ron Thomas, whose 17-year-old son is autistic and attends the New Horizon Center, having access to music gives him a unique opportunity to feel comfortable with himself and the people around him.
"People with autism can really crave repetition and routine, so keeping a rhythm helps him do that while also tapping into something deeper," Jean Thomas said. "It gives him this sense that he can attach to other people and be part of something, but that it's still OK to be different."
The entire project is close to being finished, Palmer said, but first the center needs to come up with another roughly $150,000.
Anyone who wants to donate to the project can call Sue Santoro at 773-286-6226 x202.
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