Specially-Designed Playground Bridges Gap for Children with Disabilities
ST. LOUIS, October 13, 2006 – It’s more than just ‘accessible’ to kids with different physical abilities –it’s truly designed for everyone. “Together We Play” is the mantra of the newest and largest Inclusive Playground in the St. Louis area. Centrally located in Tilles Park, the one-acre playground is a partnership between St. Louis Children’s Hospital, the St. Louis County Parks department and several other local donors and vendors.
Children of all ages are invited to join St. Louis Children’s Hospital’s family, friends and staff for a special weekend “playdate” celebrating the Grand Opening of the Inclusive Playground in Tilles Park on Sunday, October 15 at 1p.m.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 13 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 14 live with some sort of disability. Locally, the Special School District of St. Louis serves nearly 9,200 children with special needs.
“Play is such an important part of every child's development," says Lee Fetter, president of St. Louis Children's Hospital. "Playgrounds like this provide kids of all abilities the opportunity to challenge themselves, share experiences and build relationships. We're excited to help build a place where all children can play together."
Designed with input from therapists and other health-care professionals at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, landscape architects at SWT Design and St. Louis County Parks carefully planned every detail of the all-inclusive playground.
Unique Playground Features Include:
Soft Surface – Soft surface material covering the ground will help minimize injuries due to falls and will allow easy access for those in wheelchairs.
Ramping System - Allows for wheelchairs and others who are mobility-impaired to get on and off the structure easily, without awkward turning for wheelchairs. It also gives children who use wheelchairs a sense of height, something they rarely experience in a wheelchair.
Stainless Steel Slide – Allows individuals with cochlear implants the ability to enjoy the experience. Plastic slides create problems for these children
Sound Play System – Located behind the pavilion in a quieter area, this play space consists of a small orchestra of wooden instrument machines. Instruments are at ground level with easy access for children of all ages. The sound play instruments will provide an additional element of play to children with a variety of disabilities, and can be especially enjoyed by children who are visually impaired.
Sand Play Area –This unique environment promotes a tactile play experience. Children will be able to dig for a dinosaur bone embedded in the sand. The area is designed so that children in wheelchairs can also engage and dig in the sand.
Water Play Area - Water play provides a unique and dramatic effect to the play area, and stimulates each of the five senses. It is easily accessed by children of all abilities, with a push-button start (rather than a motion-sensor start) so as not to startle those who may be unsteady on their feet.
Inclusive Swing seat – Swing sets include an adaptive swing seat that allows those with disabilities to have the motion stimulus of swinging in the air.
Accessible Parking – Included are eight ADA and three conventional spaces located directly in front of the playground entrance. A designated drop-off area is also located at the entrance. Additional parking is currently being planned next to the site.
ADA Drinking Fountains and ADA Restrooms– Two fountains are strategically placed to allow for maximum usage, and are wheelchair accessible. ADA accessible restrooms for both genders are located in the pavilion.
ADA Picnic Tables – Specially designed to allow for wheelchairs to be seated with their friends and family, these picnic tables will be spaced throughout the park.
The St. Louis Children’s Hospital All-Inclusive Playground was made possible through generous donations from several groups and individuals including the Kohl’s Cares for Kids Program. Additional individual donors include Mary Ann Lee, Jack C. Taylor, Jo Ann Taylor Kindle and the Crawford Taylor Foundation who have provided tremendous support for the project. Alberici is the general contractor.
In addition to the Inclusive playground in Tilles Park, the Child Health Advocacy and Outreach team at St. Louis Children’s Hospital has helped create dozens of other play spaces throughout St. Louis City, St. Louis County and East St. Louis through an initiative called Healthy Kids at Play. The program is aimed at reducing childhood injuries by giving kids a safe place to play in their neighborhoods.
About St. Louis Children’s Hospital
St. Louis Children’s Hospital has provided specialized care for children for more than 125 years. The hospital is affiliated with Washington University School of Medicine, ranked the number four medical school in the country by U.S.News & World Report. In 2005, Child magazine ranked St. Louis Children's Hospital among the 10 best children's hospitals in America, and third in emergency medicine. St. Louis Children’s Hospital is a member of BJC HealthCare. For more information visit stlouischildrens.org. |