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Accessible Locations
The Forest Preserves of Cook County is currently undergoing a county-wide assessment of our picnic groves, campgrounds, nature centers and other facilities.
We will add information about accessible locations as it becomes available:
- Accessible Picnic Shelters – Each accessible shelter has accessible parking, an accessible curb cut and path from parking to picnic shelter, and accessible path from picnic shelter to an accessible indoor bathroom or accessible portable bathroom.
- Accessible Campsites – All five campgrounds feature accessible campsite options and amenities. Check individual campgrounds for available accessible camping options, which may include: Tent campsites, RV/tent campsites, small cabins, large cabins and bunkhouses. All campgrounds have an accessible bathroom/shower building with a roll-in shower with a bench as well as an accessible changing area with a bench.
- Accessible Fishing Areas – Accessible fishing areas include accessible parking, a paved path to the shoreline, a hard surface along the shoreline, and railings along portions, or all, of the hard-surfaced shoreline. Some areas have access to accessible bathrooms.
- Accessible Canoe Landings & Boat Launches
- Accessible canoe landings include accessible parking and a paved path to the landing. The surface of the landing is stable, firm and slip resistant. Canoes and kayaks are allowed at canoe landings.
- Accessible boat launches include accessible parking and a paved path to the launch. The surface of the launch is paved. The types of boats allowed at each launch vary.
Accessibility Policies
Mobility Device Usage Policy
The Forest Preserve District of Cook County is committed to enabling the use and enjoyment of the District by visitors with mobility limitations. To further this commitment, the District has created this policy to allow for the safe use of OPDMD on District property.
Non-Discrimination & Harassment Policy
The Forest Preserve District of Cook County is an equal opportunity employer and the District does not discriminate on the basis of a person’s race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status, source of income, housing status, or gender identity.
Reasonable Accommodations Policy
It is the policy of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County to comply with all laws and applicable collective bargaining agreements to evaluate requests for reasonable accommodations from qualified job applicants and/or employees with substantial medical restrictions and/or disabilities to facilitate their ability to perform the essential functions of a position and/or job.
Service Animal Policy
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as of March 15, 2010, the Forest Preserve District of Cook County allows service animals to access most public areas within its property.
ADA Notice
In accordance with the requirements of title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”), The Forest Preserve District of Cook County (FPDCC) will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities.
Employment
The Forest Preserve District of Cook County does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its hiring or employment practices and complies with all regulations promulgated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under title I of the ADA.
Effective Communication
The Forest Preserve District of Cook County will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities so they can participate equally in FPDCC programs, services, and activities, including qualified sign language interpreters, documents in Braille, and other ways of making information and communications accessible to people who have speech, hearing, or vision impairments.
Modifications to Policies and Procedures
The Forest Preserve District of Cook County will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities. For example, individuals with service animals are welcomed in FPDCC offices, even where pets are generally prohibited.
Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity of FPDCC, should contact the office of Michael Murnane 708-771-1581, mail to Forest Preserves of Cook County, 2199 S. First Ave, Maywood IL, 60153 or email at michael.murnane@cookcountyil.gov as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event.
The ADA does not require the FPDCC to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs or services, or impose an undue financial or administrative burden.
The Forest Preserve District of Cook County will not place a surcharge on a particular individual with a disability or any group of individuals with disabilities to cover the cost of providing auxiliary aids/services or reasonable modifications of policy, such as retrieving items from locations that are open to the public but are not accessible to persons who use wheelchairs.
ADA Grievance Procedure
Complaints that a program, service, or activity of FPDCC is not accessible to persons with disabilities should be directed to Michael Murnane 708-771-1581, mail to Forest Preserves of Cook County, 2199 S. First Ave, Maywood IL, 60153 or email at michael.murnane@cookcountyil.gov.
Website Accessibility
This website is designed to conform to level “AA” of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.
Please contact us at fpdcc.info@cookcountyil.gov or 708-771-1334 if you find an aspect of this website that falls short of this standard or have any accessibility related issues.
We will continue to test the accessibility of this website and make improvements as needed. We appreciate your feedback.