Frequently Asked Questions
Where will Bennett’s Village be located?
In partnership with the City of Charlottesville, Bennett’s Village will be located in and around the current playground at Pen Park. We will greatly expand the current play areas into nearly four acres of inclusive, accessible play spaces. We’ve already installed an Accessible Treehouse there!
I’m at Pen Park, but I don’t see the Treehouse. Where is it exactly?
If you are using your GPS to navigate to the site, go past the white building on the left, and continue on the road past the tennis courts towards the golf course. Turn left into the giant parking lot that leads to the playground. The Treehouse is behind the playground.
What is the difference between a “playground” and a “playspace?”
While Bennett’s Village will have many elements that are part of traditional playgrounds, we deliberately use the word playspace because it gives us the freedom to reimagine what a traditional playground can be. The term “playspace” lets us redefine how we want to create opportunities for play and recreation.
A playspace is a multipurpose space where not just structured physical play, but creative, imaginative, open-ended play happens. It also is a space that promotes relaxation, exploration, socialization, and learning. Those activities can happen in a variety of ways, with and without equipment, for all ages. It can include the natural environment as well as manufactured equipment.
Because Bennett’s Village is meant to be a place for all ages and is more than just the pieces of equipment we install in the space, we use the broader, more inclusive term, playspace.
How much will the project cost?
Bennett’s Village is being built in phases to support the community’s desire for the popular regional park to remain open. As we raise the funds for each section, we allow the park to grow thoughtfully as community support grows. The full vision for the playspace—including inclusive play structures, nature-based exploration areas, sensory gardens, a splash pad, gathering spaces, and accessible adventure features—is expected to total approximately $10 million when complete.
Phase One, which opened in 2025, brought the project to life with the accessible Treehouse and pathway system, creating a one-of-a-kind play experience where children and adults of all abilities can explore together.
We are now raising $3 million for Phase Two, which will expand the park with additional inclusive play areas, including a signature play tower, inclusive swings and a merry-go-round that will accommodate wheelchairs and support all body types, adult workout equipment, gathering spaces for families, a multi-challenge freestyle track and amenities that make the park more welcoming for visitors of all ages and abilities.
Half a million dollars has already been invested in design, engineering, and planning, ensuring that future phases can be built efficiently as funding becomes available.
Who is the contractor/builder for the project?
The treehouse was designed by Challenge Access, innovative aerial adventure designers, and constructed by Uhler & Company. As we design future phases, we will select contractors with appropriate experience and expertise for that phase of the project.
Will the park belong to Bennett’s Village, Inc.?
No, the land belongs to the City of Charlottesville, and it will continue to belong to the City and be maintained by Charlottesville’s Parks and Recreation Department. Like many other inclusive playspaces, this is a public-private partnership, with Bennett’s Village raising the funds to design and build this transformative and inclusive play space and the City of Charlottesville providing the land and maintaining it.
Why does an accessible playspace cost more than a traditional one?
Building structures and playspaces that are truly inclusive costs a lot. Careful planning for accessibility not only affects the physical architecture of Bennett’s Village Playspace but also the materials used. We will be adding features not found on typical playgrounds, such as electrical outlets, to support those who need to charge medical equipment or technology devices. We need to hire experts in inclusive construction and design and use materials that are sustainable, easy to maintain, and support the needs of a wide range of users. For example, many playgrounds use mulch, but that is not accessible for anyone who uses mobility aids or wheels (such as wheelchairs and strollers). Instead, we will be using poured-in-place rubber and other stable surfacing, which is much more expensive but also more inclusive. We will be purchasing playground equipment that is designed for more inclusivity to accommodate aids like wheelchairs or cochlear implants. Those types of equipment are harder to find and cost more to produce, so the overall costs are higher. Inclusive play structures also cast a larger footprint in order to allow for ramps and other accessible features, which further increases the costs.
Isn’t there already a playground at Pen Park?
Yes, there is. However, Bennett’s Village is a transformative project that will expand the current play area to almost four acres. Some elements of the old playground, including the musical playground, will be incorporated into the new space. Other pieces of equipment will be replaced over time with more inclusive elements that allow more people to play side by side.
Will there be a fence?
We understand that there are community members of all ages who tend to wander off, which necessitates designing enclosed, safe spaces. Many families do not come to public parks because so few of them have fences. Our designs call for the addition of a fence or other type of boundary to help keep folks safe. Though it can’t be installed until the final phase, rest assured that it is planned.
When will Bennett’s Village be complete?
Bennett’s Village will be constructed in phases, and the timeline is contingent on our raising the funds for each phase. We have already added a communication board to the space, the first ever in a Charlottesville City park, to help facilitate communication for our nonverbal community members or those who have trouble communicating with each other. Our Accessible Treehouse opened in January 2025. We worked with the City of Charlottesville to design and build a family accessible bathroom with the community’s first adult changing table that opened Spring of 2025, and we are working with the City and Josie’s Way to complete the accessible features of the accessible path below the treehouse.
Is Bennett’s Village named after UVA basketball coach Tony Bennett?
No. Bennett’s Village, Inc. is named after Bennett McClurken-Gibney, a little boy with Spinal Muscular Atrophy who loved to play but could not independently access playgrounds in Charlottesville because they were not designed with kids in wheelchairs in mind. If you happen to know Tony Bennett, make sure he knows about us too!
How can I donate?
Visit our donate page to learn about the many ways you can donate to Bennett’s Village, Inc.
How can I volunteer?
Fill out the contact form on our volunteer page to become a part of Bennett’s Village.