Inclusion & Accessibility

The City of Evanston's Parks & Recreation Department is committed to promoting a City-wide culture of accessibility and inclusivity.

Please see below for resources and support available for individuals in our programs.

ADA/Disability Services

The Inclusion & Accessibility Division of the Parks & Recreation Department is dedicated to providing access to the goals, benefits, connections, and experiences that all individuals receive through our Parks & Recreation programming. Services include:

Accommodation Requests: Anyone who requires a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity, or an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, should complete an ADA/Disability Service Request as soon as possible, but no later than seven days before the scheduled event.

Accessible Recreation: These programs are designed to support the unique abilities and needs of individuals with disabilities and include Special Olympics and adapted sports, after-school programs, camps, outings, and a variety of other activities to enhance participants' quality of life and assist individuals with maintaining an active leisure lifestyle.

Inclusion Services: Various levels of support are available for individuals with disabilities to participate safely and successfully alongside peers in the City's Parks & Recreation programming. Support is provided based on each individual's unique needs with goals of providing least restrictive accommodations and facilitating understanding, collaboration, and connections within the community. 

Staff information:

Mackenzie Irelan, CTRS

Inclusion Coordinator(She, Her, Hers)
mirelan@cityofevanston.org / 847-859-7716
Mackenzie supervises Inclusion services for all Parks & Recreation programming as well as Accessible Recreation after-school programming, classes, and outings. She is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist.

Jourdan O'Connor, CTRS

Accessible Recreation Program Coordinator (She, Her, Hers)
joconnor@cityofevanston.org / 224-296-4478
Jourdan oversees all of the Division's Special Olympics sports and Accessible Rec camp programming. She is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist.

Lauren Ruiz, CTRS, ADAC

Inclusion & Accessibility Division Manager/ADA Coordinator
(She, Her, Hers)
lruiz@cityofevanston.org / 847-424-5496
Lauren is the Division Manager and oversees Inclusion services and Accessible Recreation programming. As the ADA Coordinator for the City, she provides support and assistance with accommodation needs, inquiries, and grievances from community members. Lauren is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and certified ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Coordinator.

Gender Diversity

Our Parks & Recreation Department is committed to supporting our transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming community members by following the procedures below:

• Transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming individuals have the right to openly express their gender identity.

• All staff complete training focused on gender diversity and inclusion.

• Individuals in our programs are encouraged to share their affirmed names and pronouns and have a right to be addressed by these.

• Any individual intentionally refusing to respect another individual's affirmed name and/or pronouns will be held to the consequences included in the Parks & Recreation Behavior Code of Conduct.

• Recreation Center restrooms are open to all. Individuals are welcome to choose the restroom that makes them feel most comfortable and included. Alternative restroom requests can be made by an individual for safety, privacy, or other reasons.

• Gender Support Plans are available to allow for additional communication and establishment of steps/tools to support an individual at our programs. Gender Support Plans may include an assigned support staff, a designated space for breaks, or other steps unique to an individual.

• Resource lists for individuals/families seeking local and national gender diversity support are available.

• We strive to provide excellent experiences for all. We welcome your suggestions and feedback as we are always learning how to best serve our community.