Noah’s Playground for Everyone, a handicap accessibility playground on Lighthouse Beach, received the Reader’s Choice Award in Time Out Chicago Kids’ 2012 Hipsqueak Awards.

The playground at 1431 Judson Ave. is named for Noah Cutter, a local boy born in 2003 with congenital neurological anomalies, according to an Evanston news release. He passed away in 2005, inspiring his parents to build an all-inclusive playground in his memory.

The Cutters collected donations to fundraise for design and construction of the park. The playground was completed in 2008.

The playground’s amenities include accessible parking, a ramp system so that wheelchairs can reach the playground’s peaks, bright colors to help the visually handicapped maneuver, interactive bells and chimes, bathrooms and water fountains as well as nooks and crannies for children to find peace and quiet.

The Cutters worked in conjunction with city staff to bring handicap accessibility to parks across Evanston, according to the release.

“This project is a terrific example of a public and private citizen partnership that has provided extreme benefit to the donors as well as all children,” said Doug Gaynor, director of Evanston Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, in the news release. “We are very grateful that they were willing to share their gift with the greater Evanston community.”

— Susan Du