By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Bowling Green is partnering with Wood County Plays to build a playground in the city for children of all abilities to play side by side.
Joe Fawcett, director of public services for the city, reported to City Council Monday evening that efforts are underway to renovate a playground at Carter Park to make it an inclusive area for all children.
“It’s some exciting news coming to Bowling Green sometime next year,” Fawcett said.
The first Wood County Plays inclusive playground opened in Perrysburg earlier this summer.
Bowling Green City Council voted unanimously Monday to file an application with the Wood County Park District’s Local Park Improvement Grant Program to help with the expenses.
After the meeting, Fawcett said the city parks staff will be working with the Wood County Plays organization to identify the needs for the playground. The city’s public works department will be able to perform some of the engineering and construction work on the playground, he said.
Wood County Plays is a non-profit organization that designs, raises funds, and builds fully inclusive play spaces that allow children of all abilities to play side by side. The organization’s steering committee consists of therapists, teachers, community members, and parents of kids with special needs to develop inclusive playgrounds that promote learning, empathy, communication, and understanding among children.
Inclusive playgrounds are thoughtfully designed, safe spaces for all children regardless of size, mobility, or ability. They remove barriers of exclusion caused by traditional playgrounds and provide sensory-rich experiences.
Wood County Plays works to create playgrounds where children improve their physical, cognitive, and social skills side-by-side with their peers of all ability levels.
According to the Wood County Plays website, when the organization was founded in 2019, there was a recreational gap in communities. Children with disabilities struggled to enjoy traditional play spaces. So the organization set out to close this gap by building new, inclusive playgrounds around Northwest Ohio.
Inclusive playgrounds that are built by Wood County Plays are often the first in their communities. They allow those with special needs and their families a place to play and grow along with their typically developing family and friends. All of the playgrounds address not just physical accessibility concerns but also provide safe play space for children with sensory, emotional, or cognitive disorders.
Wood County Plays inclusive playgrounds are wheelchair and walker accessible through extensive ramping, rubber surfacing, and specialized play equipment. Fencing also surrounds the playgrounds for children with sensory disorders who may run away. The poured rubber surfacing is coded for children with visual impairments to highlight danger areas.
