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By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN

Peggy Halvorson believes that all kids — handicapped or not — should be able to play together at the playground.

After learning about universal access playgrounds, she decided to do what she could to bring one to Minneapolis. Towards that end she created Falls 4 All, a division of People for Parks.

“The more I’ve read about the benefits of these playgrounds, the more convinced I am that it just has to happen,” stated Halvorson, an Edina resident. “It’s not just a handicapped playground. It’s about everyone playing together. We learn to accept each other when we play together.”

The Minneapolis Park Board (MPRB) has agreed to install a universal access playground at the Wabun Picnic Area of Minnehaha Falls Park, adjacent to the Veteran’s Administration facility along the Mississippi bluffs. Recently, four accessible picnic shelters, a restroom building, and a zero-entry wading pool were constructed at Wabun to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The parking lots were also updated, a disc golf course and volleyball court added and a bike/pedestrian trail built.

“As the MPRB upgrades playgrounds, it designs them to meet all current accessibility requirements established by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The funding raised by Falls 4 All will be used to increase the level of accessibility for children and adults,” said MPRB Superintendent Jayne Miller.

Because of Carly and kids like her

Why is Halvorson putting so much time and effort into a playground like this?
Halvorson is inspired by people like her childhood friend, Geri Mauck of Rosemount and her 15-year-old daughter, Carly.

It isn’t easy for Carly Mauck to spend the afternoon at a playground. While more and more are built to ADA specifications, her wheelchair still limits her.

It is too hard for her mom to carry the 15-year-old to the top of a slide. She certainly can’t push Carly’s wheelchair through gravel, sand or mulch. That leaves little for Carly to play on except for the ADA-approved bucket swing.

Carly loves swinging

“The smile on her face says everything,” said her mother, Geri. “That kind of sensory input is fun for her.”

Overall, there aren’t many recreational opportunities for Carly, observed Mauck. “It would be nice to have a park in the area where she could go.

“For us it is gratifying to see her do something all the other kids can do. She’s free. She’s not strapped in. She’s out of a wheelchair.

“There’s so few things she can do independently.”

How does a universal access playground differ?

While ADA standards call for paths and ramps wheelchairs can traverse, universal access playgrounds go further.

They are designed so that children with disabilities can access at least 70% of the activities at the playground. This is done by making sure all ramps are wide enough for wheelchairs. Because of the additional on and off ramp access points, children with disabilities have the freedom of access without having to be transfered out of wheelchairs to use equipment. The surfacing is soft enough to cushion a fall. The various play elements all connect so that children with disabilities have more choices of where and how to play. Children with disabilities don’t have to only look up at these playgrounds, but can look out and down by going on the elevated components accessible via larger ramps and platforms.

Recognizing that transfers are the most difficult piece of any excursion, the designers of universal access playgrounds work to avoid them. For example at Jonathan’s Dream park in Conneticut there isn’t a sand box; instead there is a sand table that children in wheelchairs can wheel over to. Instead of a toy car with one or two steering wheels, there is a team limousine with eight wheels and room at the front for a driver in a wheelchair. Instead of the traditional bank of swings, there is a wooden boat swing large enough for two wheelchairs and six other people.

A playground for everyone

According to the 2000 Census, 9.2 percent of American families raising children in 2000 were raising at least one child aged five to 17 with a disability. Overall, there are over 54 million Americans — or one in five — with disabilities, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“All Minneapolis children deserve a safe, supportive place to play, and the proposed Wabun playground helps to ensure more children will have that opportunity,” said Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak.

“The Park Board has committed $300,000 to the Wabun project and we’d like to raise an additional $700,000 to make this a true universal access playground,” said Halvorson. “The additional funds can provide items such as ramped wheelchair access to the highest platforms, specialized wheelchair-accessible playground surfacing, dual slides that allow a caregiver to slide with their child, and harnessed swings that hold children securely.”

According to Halvorson, the main challenge for Falls 4 All is funding. Thus far, the group has raised $70,000 of the $500,000 it need.

Several benefits are being planned, including Touch A Truck on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Minnehaha Park and a Food/Wine Gala for Friday, Nov. 4 at Sea Salt.

If enough money is raised, the playground will be built next year.

Public meetings will be scheduled for the playground renovation as part of the schematic design process.

Visit www.peopleforparks.net or www.falls4all.com for more information. Contact Peggy Halvorson at halvop2000@yahoo.com or 952-988-0085.