'It doesn't exclude anyone.' How this Kirkwood playground design rethinks family fun
On a brisk November afternoon, a few yards away from the Susquehanna River, a mother and her child play on a brand new swing set in Kirkwood's Veterans River Park.
Town of Kirkwood Councilwoman Katie Legg warmly greets the family, and points them toward the new generation swing, which allows a parent to face their child while swinging together.
While the same scene might play out in any part of the country, this specific playground is special. Inspiration Playground features two different types of flooring, ramps and a unique, independently swinging part of the playground structure. All of these features make up Kirkwood's first completely handicap accessible playground.
"A lot of people think of a playground just for kids, but it's not just for the kids," said Legg. "Parents and grandparents who may not have been able to go on a playground structure to play with their kids can now do that. It doesn't exclude anyone — anybody can go on the structure."
The park features a merry-go-round built into the ground, which allows people in wheelchairs to use a playground feature which is normally inaccessible. On the playground structure, a glider allows children of all abilities to swing back and forth directly from the structure.
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Legg said the playground was also built with older kids in mind, as the other playgrounds in the area were mainly suited for younger children. An area with two tall slides which is accessible by ladder is designed for older children, while the younger children have access to the lower section of the playground.
The soft ground of the playground both softens the impact of falls, and allows those in wheelchairs to access every area of the playground. In other playgrounds, swings positioned over mulch make wheelchair access more difficult.
Legg said she first approached the Town Board in 2018 with the idea of building an accessible playground. After assembling a team and designing the playground, fundraising efforts began.
Legg and others created the nonprofit Friends of Kirkwood Community, which allowed community members to contribute to fundraising efforts, and importantly allowed the group to receive grants. Legg said multiple local businesses, the county and many community members' donations helped achieve their goal of Kirkwood's first accessible playground.
Legg referenced the COVID-19 pandemic as the main reason the project was not finished sooner. Given the financial struggles the pandemic caused, Legg said the group did not feel right asking the community for donations. After the worst of the pandemic eased up, fundraising efforts began again.
Due to some supply line issues, construction on the park was delayed. Once the parts were delivered however, Legg said the construction was completed within a couple of days.
"We would like to invite people from our community and neighboring communities — this is open to the public." said Legg. "We just want everybody to enjoy it: everyone of all ages and all abilities."
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: At accessible playground in Kirkwood, children, parents play together
