As you can imagine, people are upset about the new playground because it doesn't suit their tastes.
There are people mad at it because we didnt work specifically with the special needs therapist that we worked with last time. They think we sacrificed accessibility for aesthetic.
The old playground had a lot of very tall structures that a lot of people liked. It did have some things that were considered 'inclusive' in that they had some sound-based play structures for people who wanted to play but couldn't climb or run.
But they were secluded from the other kids. They were also electronic and were difficult to service. If a kid with mobility problems or a bulky mobility aid wanted to play with other kids, there were areas that they couldn't access.
And the fact of the matter is that you're supposed to update or completely replace your playground equipment as a city every 10 years to keep up with compliance codes. We entered a recycle program where our old equipment gets sent to areas that are behind on their updates (which has its issues certainly, but i think its nice to not be contributing to a landfill.)
We didnt work with a special needs therapist but we did outsource to someone who specializes in inclusive design.
So people might be upset that it isn't as appealing to able-bodied kids but...
Slide big enough that an adult can use with a larger child that may need assistance.
Sound-based games that can take a beating. (Metal pipes with different tones vs an electric button game)
A wheelchair can navigate this.
And of course the chair-accessible merry-go-round.
Like im sure it still has some things that could improve on, and they still haven't installed the swings yet. But like... im so frustrated that people look at accessibility measures as downgrades and then claim we didnt actually try.
Anyways, this is one of the things I like about my city- we're at least trying.
gummygunk
amandla
gracieabrams
prguitarman
areudirty
