Fall River autism-friendly playground funding approved
“It’s a dream come true,” said dad and maintenance technician Marcel Riley. On Nov. 10, the Fall River City Council approved spending $1,010,000 to build Mae’s Playground, a sensory-friendly playground planned for Abbott Court Playground Park. It will be paid for by a combination of grants, private fundraising and local community preservation funds. Riley has led the campaign to build it for over a year. “Finally, I feel like we’re there, fund-wise,” Riley said. Most importantly, the project received a $425,000 PARC grant from the state’s Division of Conservation Services, announced on Oct. 7. It’s the maximum amount applicants can receive. Statewide, fifteen other projects received the grants this year. The idea for the project has been gaining steam since 2025 , when Riley build a do-it-yourself sensory-friendly playground for his daughter Mae-Ella, who has autism and is non-verbal, in their backyard. The project's website explains that sensory-friendly playgrounds are geared toward kids with conditions including autism for whom “bright lights might feel too intense, loud sounds could be startling, or certain textures may be uncomfortable.” Mae’s Playground will also be wheelchair-accessible. “Families like mine, when we decide we’re going to go to a park, first thing that runs through
