News & Educational Resources

Communities Nation Wide Focus on ADA Accessible Parks

Southbend ADA Accessible Playground

Improving parks and recreation accessibility to all is a hot topic right now. We’ve highlighted the great work done in communities such as the Town of Sudbury, Massachusetts and City of Moscow, Idaho in the past, and now we spotlight South Bend, Indiana. Construction is already underway at Howard Park that will feature playground equipment that is 75% ADA accessible. South Bend Venues, Parks & Arts Executive Director Aaron Perri says, “We don’t think that there’s going to be anything like this playground anywhere nearby.”  The design is inspired by beauty of the St. Joseph River that flows through northern Indiana on its way to Lake Michigan. The design recently won the parks department a $30,000 grant from National Recreation Park Association and Disney. ADA initiatives for parks and recreation programs are rapidly moving to the forefront of public efforts to create accessible spaces for all. Proactive municipal leaders are using this momentum to ensure ADA compliance is integrated into future community enhancement planning.

Source:
New ADA accessible South Bend playground expected to be largest in the area
Michiana WSBT News 22
Jun 13, 2019
https://wsbt.com/news/local/new-ada-accessible-south-bend-playground-expected-to-be-largest-in-the-area