Brooklyn Park Receives Award for Inclusive Programming

After a long and snowy winter, most Minnesotans are looking for any excuse to get outside. And on a recent Wednesday at Brooklyn Park’s Community Activity Center, Erin Bonikowske wanted a group of people to get a breath of fresh air and burn a few calories in the process.

“I am so excited to go to work every day,” said Bonikowske, Brooklyn Park’s adaptive recreation specialist. “I get to do super fun things. I get to work with people of all ages, all abilities, support them in our programs.”

The particular program is called adaptive fitness, and it’s one of several recreation options offered by the city’s parks and recreation department for people with developmental disabilities.

The class participants stop at various stations around the fishing pond and do a few moves to get the heart rate going.

“It’s important because everybody deserves to be included in our programs,” Bonikowske said. “Brooklyn Park really puts an emphasis on inclusion, so we want to make sure our whole community feels included and they can all participate with us.”

Adaptive fitness classes happen Wednesday afternoons at the Brooklyn Park Community Activity Center.

Emphasis on Inclusive Programming

Brooklyn Park’s emphasis on inclusive programming is one of the reasons why local nonprofit Reach for Resources recognized the city as this year’s Community Partner of the Year.

“Brooklyn Park, I think, really goes above and beyond with their accommodations,” said Emily Orr, the Reach for Resources director of adaptive recreation and inclusion.

Reach for Resources has had a partnership with Brooklyn Park since 1986, and Orr says the city has made significant contributions to enhancing the lives of people with disabilities.

“Brooklyn Park has also taken steps to have a consultant come out and look at how their parks are accommodating people with disabilities and made changes based on those recommendations,” Orr said.

It’s the sort of thing that many people might overlook, but for the folks who benefit from ADA accessible programming, facilities and equipment, a little consideration goes a long way.

“I’m really happy that more people are starting to implement this into their work,” Bonikowske said of inclusive programming. “Because it is the law and it’s something that should be a part of everything that we do.”

The write-up from the Reach for Resources newsletter on the award bestowed upon Brooklyn Park.

Related: Everyone Welcome at Brooklyn Park All-Abilities Resource Fair

Brooklyn Park