School playgrounds being made disability-friendly

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School playgrounds being made disability-friendly

Kerry Fehr-Snyder

The Arizona Republic

http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/articles/0920cr-

playgrounds0921.html

Out with the wood chips, in with rubberized surfaces. And throw in a

few swing sets.

Playgrounds at schools in the Chandler Unified School District are

getting a makeover. The goal is to make them accessible to children

who use walkers, wheelchairs or any other device to cope with a

disability.

" It's huge for these kids because now they can play with their

peers, " said Pam Uriell, a physical therapist with the district and

a member of its Americans with Disabilities Act committee. " They

don't have to watch from the sidelines. "

Uriell said the changes help the school district comply with the ADA

and put children on an even playing field for recreation.

" Teachers and staff can see the need, " she said. " Take a child with

cerebral palsy. It's sad because they think, 'If only I could get

out there, maybe I could play with everyone.' "

The new rubberized surface is being installed underneath monkey bars

and other playground equipment to spare children in wheelchairs or

those using walkers from having to navigate the rough terrain of

wood chips. The school district also is adding new swing sets at

several schools.

" Everyone loves swings, so we've added more swings, " said Jeanette

Polvani, the district's associate superintendent for new

construction, land acquisition and ADA compliance.

The upgrades are planned for 27 schools, all but three of which are

elementary schools. Of those, 13 have been retrofitted. The others

are scheduled to be finished by the end of the year.

Children have had to find a new place to spend recess during

construction is under way. Most playgrounds close at least three

weeks for the work.

" We've tried to minimize the disruptions, Polvani said. " But

realistically, they (the projects) couldn't all be done in the

summer. "

The project will cost $3 million and is being paid for with money

raised with a November 2006 bond election.