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BOUNDLESS
PLAYGROUNDS
::By Stephanie
Norton
 An
estimated 41.3 million Americans
suffer from a disability of some kind, according
to the 2005 U.S. Census American Community Survey.
From physical to cognitive, disabilities greatly
impact those who suffer from them as well as their
families. Meeting the needs of this portion of the
public is a complex but important goal for any
public park system.
In
the last ten years great strides have been made to
create more "inclusive" play opportunities for
children with disabilities. But creating an
accessible playground doesn't only benefit
children. Accessible playgrounds (and especially
universally-designed inclusive playgrounds) offer
improved play participation opportunities for
parents, relatives and caregivers who themselves
may have a disability.
Other
people benefit from accessible playgrounds too.
For example, people that have temporary conditions
such as broken bones, eye surgeries, or even
advanced pregnancy may find it easier to get to
and utilize an accessible playground with their
children. Senior citizens who experience stiffness
and limited range of motion due to arthritis may
find more opportunities to participate at an
accessible playground alongside their
grandchildren.
Since 1997, Boundless Playgrounds has been
the leading national nonprofit developer of nearly
200 truly inclusive playgrounds in 31 states and
Canada. There are currently over 100 projects
under development. Boundless™ playground
exceeds requirements of the American with
Disabilities Act (ADA) "wheelchair accessibility.
Unique features of the barrier-free space include
special ramps and transfer stations that enable
children of all abilities to access and play
within all levels of the playground, and sensory
rich activities that stimulate imagination,
interactive play, and the development of social
skills and self-esteem. Children with and
without disabilities, as well as parents,
grandparents, other caregivers, military veterans
and their family members with a disability or
limited mobility impairment can freely navigate a
Boundless playground.
This article looks at Boundless™
playgrounds around the country and how both
landscape architects and playground equipment
manufacturers are designing for universal
playground access.
Above
Right: GameTime and Boundless Playgrounds,
together with the guiding help from Hasbro,
created a CandyLand themed wonderland., Matthew's
Boundless Playground, at Give Kids The World
Village in Kissimmee, Florida. Give Kids The World
is a 51-acre resort for children with
life-threatening illnesses who wish to visit Walt
Disney World and other Central Florida
attractions.
Read
More... | |
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Inclusive
Play Environments 
Because autism and other
sensory-processing disorders are on the rise, we
must focus on welcoming all children to the
playground. Professionals designing community and
school playgrounds can create a more inclusive
play environment by providing more
sensory-stimulating activities, which children use
to learn, play, socialize and
communicate.
Landscape Structures
recently introduced a playground design solution
to help address the growing sensory needs of all
children - A
Higher Level of Inclusive Play™.
With a suite of Sensory Play
products, those with
sensory-processing disorders and those that are
typically developing are given the opportunity to
come together to play as peers. And in the process
they will receive tactile, proprioceptive,
vestibular, visual and auditory stimulation. These
new products including the Sensory Play Center™
and Cozy Dome™ also
encourage more social imaginative play and help
kids develop motor-planning skills.
If
you're able to attend the NRPA Congress &
Exposition in Minneapolis, be sure to visit
Landscape Structures in booth 1032 to learn about
their new playground solutions. Additionally, you
may want to attend the Play for Life Symposium
being held the weekend prior to NRPA in
Minneapolis. The two-day symposium will feature
thought leaders in play, inclusive design, autism
and more. Get more information about this
Landscape Structures-sponsored Symposium
here.
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Roof
Access Systems
For
years design professionals have specified ladders
in Div. 5 and roof hatches / ladder safety post in
division 7 as designated by MasterFormat.
When a ladder isn't accessing a roof hatch this is
okay. However, a problem often arises when
two different contractors are responsible for
issuing two different purchase orders for the
various products that are intended to work
together to access a roof from a buildings'
interior. Most often the roof hatch is
installed long before a ladder is even
ordered. When inclined ladders are used, it
is important to obtain the proper length
hatch. If the hatch is too small, it doesn't
provide enough climber clearance to meet code or
to climb safely through the opening. This
dilemma has become such an issue that many
architects have started adding ladders accessing a
hatch into division 7. This helps to insure proper
coordination of the access system components by
the same contractor.
When
a project requires ladders accessing a roof,
consider combining Precision's
Extend-A-Rail ladder safety post, roof hatch, and
hatch guard rail system. This gives
architects and contractors the option of a
complete Roof Access System (RAS) from a single
American manufactured source. The
Extend-A-Rail is designed to operate on ladders
with inclines of 60 to 90 degrees and a fully
anodized finish is
standard.
To
view Precision Ladders' CAD drawings &
specifications click here, and for
more information on these or other Precision
Ladders products, please contact
800-225-7814 or e-mail:
info@precisionladders.com. | |
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