PlayCore, the leading company in play and recreation research, programming, and products is proud to announce a recent Inclusion National Demonstration Site designation for Dream Field Playground. This new site, located in Grove City, OH, demonstrates a community’s commitment to creating equitable play opportunities for all individuals.
The City of Grove City strives to provide recreational opportunities to individuals of all abilities. In 2017, they opened the Mirolo Dream Field at Mount Carmel Stadium which features a specially designed and built baseball diamond for children of all abilities.
In addition to the Mirolo Dream Field, the City sought to provide an inclusive playground space that would address the needs of the whole child.
To achieve this goal, the City received funding from the Capital Improvement Community Recreation Project administered by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
“We are proud to add the Dream Field Playground as a complement to the Mirolo Dream Field at Mount Carmel Stadium that makes baseball accessible for everyone,” said Mayor Richard L. “Ike” Stage. “The playground provides an outdoor environment offering experiences that foster physical and social interaction for central Ohio families with children of all ages and abilities.”
In addition to the state grant and funding efforts, the community partnered with GameTime playground agency, David Williams & Associates, to design a space that would reflect a truly inclusive play environment that exceeds minimum accessibility requirements.
Kathy Kolanko, a representative from David Williams & Associates noted, “It was an honor and privilege to work with this group to design a space that created an equitable play experience for all.”
To achieve this design, the playground equipment and configuration was focused around the 7 Principles of Inclusive Playground Design®, as outlined in Me2®, a program developed in partnership with PlayCore and Utah State University’s Center for Persons with Disabilities.
As Mentioned in Me2: 7 Principles of Inclusive Playground Design®, “Although children are the primary user group of playgrounds, truly inclusive environments are designed with a broader multigenerational approach in mind. Inclusive play environments are for everyone, providing all people a place to play and recreate with friends and family.”
Recognized as a National Demonstration Site for Inclusive Play, the community will be acknowledged for their leadership in making this universally designed play destination a reality. Dream Field Playground will receive a certificate of recognition, is placed on a national registry located at www.playcore.com/nds/maps and actively promoted to other communities wishing to create a play environment for all abilities.
