Topic: New park on Roxborough between Kenilworth and Ottawa st North. First, Id like to say that Im beyond thrilled that our neighborhood is being cared for, updated, and improved by an obviously caring and hard working community. I dont want this post to appear as though those efforts are being ignored. However-I feel as though some important factors may have been over looked when this park was planned/built. I was told (and, from my understanding, others were also told) that this park would be accessible. Now, Im not sure if that was just a rumor (I do remember the word accessible being mentioned at a committee meeting), but this park is just about the furthest from accessible as it could possibly be. My 3 year old niece and her siblings live within a 30 second walking distance from this park, and were looking forward to its arrival. She has cerebral palsy, but is able to walk with the assistance of a walker and climb stairs on her hands and knees. She does surprisingly well on many playgrounds that arent designed with her in mind, and makes do. And even the parks where there are no climbing structures that shes able to use still usually have an accessible swing. (bucket with a supportive back etc.) And at the very least, have a path with ramps, where shes able to still use her walker and at least get close to her siblings and other children who ARE on the equipment. This playground is completely woodchipped, she cant move through it at all with a walker. The climber and slide are ridiculously high, have no stairs, so no parent can actually help her up to the top so she can slide down. (Especially if the parent is trying to watch other children at the same time.) To be honest, Id be hesitant to let my own, totally able bodied daughter climb and play this structure. (And im not typically the type to pour a high amount of worry into safety. Kids get hurt, I get that.-I do find it ironic though that things like teeter-totters arent allowed anymore, but this is somehow acceptable....) When my sister was at the park with my niece, other parents at the park were also disappointed by the extreme height, and left with their children after seeing it as it really just isnt very safe. It would be one thing if there were to be a slide/structure this high for (much) older kids and something smaller (or something different, at least) for younger children, but theres only this one structure, and the park is looking rather finished. Yes, theres a swing set-but not one single swing is designed with a disabled child in mind. There are two infant bucket seats, and regular childrens seats. Is this park actually finished, or will there be more added to it? Was it actually supposed to be accessible? And if not, why? My sister realizes that her daughter wont always be able to do *everything* that other children can do-its a tough reality. However, There are many parks in this city that were built before planning for disabled children was even a consideration, and have somehow managed to retrofit things and at least put in some ramps or a couple of accessible swings. I dont understand though, why we would build a brand new park with absolutely no consideration towards children like her. (Or children in General, it seems. Seriously, its high.)
Posted on: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 20:56:58 +0000
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