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Lincoln Park, Old Town

Lincoln Park Zoo Gets Fully Accessible Treehouse For Children, Replacing Treetop Climbing Structure

The Houston Family Play Treehouse has a tunnel with enough room for kids who use wheelchairs, canes, crutches and other supports.

The Houston Family Play Treehouse has a large tunnel where kids can explore.
Facebook/Lincoln Park Zoo
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LINCOLN PARK — Kids can explore a new treehouse at the Lincoln Park Zoo.

The Houston Family Play Treehouse at the Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo, 2197 N. Stockton Drive, opened Friday. It’s an immersive, sensory and tactile play space designed to be accessible to kids of all abilities.

Credit: Facebook/Lincoln Park Zoo
The treehouse’s slide is positioned away from the children’s zoo’s animal habitats.

The treehouse features a tunnel that has room for people who use wheelchairs. The entire structure has enough space for people who use canes, crutches and other supports to fully explore.

The treehouse also has tactile elements for children with vision loss, according to the zoo.

“We are excited to welcome guests to experience the new treehouse,” said Bill Green, accessibility and inclusion manager for the Hart Prins Fund at the zoo. “It was time to replace the old climber that had been in this space, and we re-envisioned the treehouse to be more inclusive for children with disabilities.”

The treehouse is within the Children’s Zoo, which is home to otters, turtles, beavers and more, according to the zoo. The structure’s slide was strategically placed away from the animal habitats to ensure their safety.

The treehouse is named after Rose Houston, who made a donation that made the upgrade possible, according to the zoo.

The Lincoln Park Zoo is free to visit and open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

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