A Place for Everyone: How One Couple Built an Inclusive Park from the Ground Up

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Tamara Schwarz. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

When Tamara Schwarz saw a glaring gap in her Colorado community—namely, the lack of inclusive spaces for individuals with disabilities—she didn’t wait for someone else to step in. She took action herself. What began as a dream to create a single recreational space has since become a transformative community project, impacting over 13,500 families, including 3,000 with a loved one who has a disability.

The vision for Trinity Community Park first took root in 2021. “My husband and I were getting COVID relief fund checks from the government. We didn’t need the money, and we felt that that we should be paying it forward. We put it into a separate account until we knew what to do with it,” she said. With that single act, Tamara began laying the groundwork for what would become the region’s most inclusive play space—a park designed not just for fun, but for equity and belonging.

“Thirty years ago, two couples in our congregation lost children in the same year. It was devastating. They took their memorial funds and paid for a playground, a wooden structure. Fast forward 30 years later and it was falling apart,” Tamara reflected. “Where there were once fields surrounding our church, there are now houses. And kids were playing on the outdated equipment, which wasn’t safe. We had to tear it down. So then, we decided to invest those COVID relief checks in a new playground for the church and surrounding community. Within a month, we received $50,000. I thought we were going to build the Taj Mahal with that money. But then we saw the price of commercial equipment—which was shocking. So, we built Phase I, fully open to the community.”

Soon came Phase II, an ADA-compliant park completed in 2022, featuring specialized safety flooring, an in-ground trampoline, a wheelchair-accessible merry-go-round and a shaded pavilion. This part of the park eventually came to life thanks to Tamara’s ongoing leadership. Instead of asking the congregation for more, she launched a public fundraising campaign—and within months, raised $300,000 to bring Phase II to fruition.

This phase expanded the park’s reach and accessibility even further, making it a model of inclusive design for other communities to follow. One regular visitor is a 102-year-old woman who comes just to enjoy the fresh air and community while using her walker—something she can do safely thanks to the park’s level, sensory-friendly flooring. Others who benefit from the design are children with special needs, including some of Tamara’s friend’s kids.

“From there, it just kept going. For Phase III, I learned that many people—those who are elderly, medically challenged or have special needs—are on medications that make them more sensitive to sun,” Tamara explains. “So, Phase III included pavilions, with tables and benches, around the park to provide shade and allow these folks to be outdoors. Phase IV was a small dog park, led by a Girl Scout Gold Award. It was an Eagle Scout who wanted to add a ga ga pit. Rotary International wants to help build a meditation garden. It has truly become a place where community comes together.”

As executive director of the project, Tamara wears many hats. She’s been the visionary and the builder, the grant writer and the community connector. From researching contractors to writing detailed grant proposals and negotiating costs, she has left no stone unturned in her quest to build a place where every child and adult in the community, regardless of ability, can play and thrive. Her work has raised $600,000 in grants and donations, and her persistence has paid off in tangible, joyful ways.

But Tamara isn’t done yet. She continues to expand and enhance the space, leading new phases of development based on community input and evolving needs. Every piece of the park is designed to support accessibility while fostering connection—something often lacking in traditional public spaces. “When people with different abilities people play together in the same spaces, there’s education and awareness that naturally happens,” Tamara says. “It creates opportunities for children and adults to talk openly about special needs, and it ultimately makes people more empathetic.”

During the busy construction phases, Tamara often volunteers over 50 hours a week. On average, she still puts in between 10 to 25 hours weekly, overseeing a team of volunteers, managing upkeep and cultivating relationships with local groups and corporate sponsors. She frequently speaks at events to advocate for inclusivity, organizes scout and community service activities, and invites families to engage with the space she helped create.

What sets Tamara apart isn’t just her ability to raise funds or organize volunteers—it’s her heart. “The biggest thing is listening to the community—what they are wanting and needing,” she shares. Tamara responds deeply to the needs of her community, building a park not just with materials but with empathy. By ensuring every decision is rooted in accessibility and connection, she’s built more than just a park; she’s created a beautiful hub of acceptance and support.

Tamara’s work proves what’s possible when one person sees a need and acts on it with unwavering resolve. Trinity Community Park is a reminder that impact begins with listening to the community’s needs, believing in the power of inclusion and showing up—week after week—to make it a reality. Through her tireless leadership, she’s not only changing lives. She’s changing the landscape.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Tamara? Find local volunteer opportunities.