New Travers Park playground is a win

The playground is not going away; it will be new and improved.

As a pediatric physical therapist who has served this community for 23 years, I am so excited about the plans for a new inclusive splash pad and playground. There is a lot of misinformation going around, so I feel the need to speak up.

The current playground was built in 2010 after several years of meetings because the previous playground was completely inaccessible. However, even with a grant, we did not have enough funding to make the current playground truly accessible.

We now have the opportunity to build a barrier-free, inclusive playground with uniform fall safety surfacing.

Inclusive means people of all ages/abilities being able to participate in the same space. Kids with disabilities can play with their siblings/friends on the same equipment. Parents/grandparents with disabilities/injuries can play with their children instead of watching from the sidelines.

The city has $500,000 to accomplish this project and has applied for an additional $500,000 grant. The playground will have enough funds to be truly barrier-free and inclusive this time. The existing equipment will be repurposed as the first phase of the larger playground and splash pad. Phase 2 will complete the new fully inclusive, barrier-free playground.

Parks are a gathering place for everyone to interact in a healthy, fun environment. The new park promotes this sense of community and inclusivity and is a big win.

TRACI SCHMIDT

Sandpoint