Disabled children will soon climb, swing and slide with their able-bodied peers on Baltimore County?s first “universal” playground, slated to open in Owings Mills this fall, officials announced.
Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith on Monday presented a check for $81,300 to the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore, more than half the funds needed to complete the $150,000 playground planned there, center officials said. At least 70 percent of the playground will be designed to accommodate children with mental and physical disabilities but still challenge able-bodied children ? who won?t notice the differences from typical jungle gyms.
“This will literally put our kids in line with everyone,” said Larry Rosenberg, chair of the JCC board. “No one will have to sit on the sidelines anymore.”
Project coordinators are still choosing specific equipment, but said the playground likely will include sand, water and art, music and rhythm components, accessible climbing equipment, a tricycle path and a large ramp structure for wheelchairs.
Instead of mulch chips, the 5,300-square-foot gym will be built on a soft rubber surface, which planners said is ideal for wheelchairs and walkers and provides a cushion for tumbling. The playground will be open to the public during center hours Sunday through Friday, and will be used for the county?s therapeutic recreation programs. The universal playground is a first for Baltimore County, though two have been built at city schools. Anne Arundel and Washington counties also have funded universal playgrounds in Pasadena and Hagerstown, respectively.
All enlisted the help of Boundless Playgrounds, the nation?s first nonprofit dedicated to helping communities create universal playgrounds. More and more are joining in, said group spokeswoman Kathy Andrews.
“As people learn about barrier-free playgrounds, they think, ?Why build it any other way??” Andrews said. “Why exclude someone?”
Allison Magat, a member of a task force that helped plan the playground for Owings Mills, said she agrees. As the mother of an
autistic child, she said she is most excited for her son to interact with children developing typically.
“It?s important for them to interact with kids similar and different to them,” Magat said. “They learn so much from each other.”
