Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz today joined Commissioner of Parks, Recreation & Forestry Troy P. Schinzel, and Executive Director of the Office for People with Disabilities Frank Cammarata III, MPA at Chestnut Ridge Park in Orchard Park to review the recently-completed, inclusive Playground that has been added to the park, the second such installation at Chestnut Ridge. In addition to being fully accessible and inviting to people with disabilities, especially parents with disabilities, inclusive playgrounds are a resource for grandparents and aging caregivers who want to interact with the children in their care. Their universal design permits all children to play together, including kids with disabilities, and has a wide range of play features to accommodate children’s interests.

“Inclusive playgrounds bring children of all abilities together and provide a great experience for all, including parents and caregivers who can now play with the young ones in their care,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “We are in the final stages of installing similar playgrounds in all five of our Heritage Parks, part of an investment of over $3.5 million, and I thank the Legislature for their support.”

Executive Director of the Office for People with Disabilities Frank Cammarata III, MPA said, “The development of additional inclusive playgrounds continues to have numerous benefits for our communities’ residents, one of which is inclusive play opportunities for all, which supports relationship building between people with and without a disability.”

Some of the features of the new inclusive playground at Chestnut Ridge Park include the Summit Structure which provides children of all abilities with ways to play in the mountain tops, and includes an accessible route of travel up to the highest decks as well as ground-level sensory and interactive panels; a Rain Sound Wheel panel; a table with seats; and a Topsy Turney Spinner, which is a great place for a group of children of all abilities to play together and can be used while sitting or standing. The Spinner is designed so that children using a wheelchair can transfer or be transferred from their wheelchair into the base.

Erie County Legislature Minority Leader John Mills (11^th District) added, “I’m proud of our efforts to ensure no young person living with a disability is left behind.  My colleagues in the Republican Caucus and I identified this need two years ago, and through negotiations with the Administration, reached agreement to pay for these playgrounds in cash.  Thousands of families have enjoyed the inclusive playground at Chestnut Ridge since it opened, and I look forward to seeing many happy moments made here for years to come.”

“Inclusive Playgrounds are increasingly popular and are becoming a favorite play spot for families at each of our Heritage Parks. They are inviting, accessible, and most of all fun for the children that enjoy them,” said Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Forestry Troy P. Schinzel. “These playgrounds have features that make it easy for children to express themselves, explore new ways to interact others, and have fun in our beautiful park setting.”

The new playground also features a new ramp and Reach Panels on the structure for children ages 2–5; Sound Chimes that encourage children to explore sound and music in multiple ways and are designed for easy roll-up access for an individual using a wheelchair; an Image Block Panel; a Ring a Bell reach panel that contains a set of bells that children can ring during play and is designed for easy roll-up access for an individual using a wheelchair; a Cooltoppers Single Post Shade; and Molded Bucket Swing Seats (for children ages 2-5 and 5-12). Molded Bucket Seat Swings provide additional support for children who might need additional trunk support while they swing.

For more information:

On the Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry visit https://www3.erie.gov/parks/

On the Erie County Office for People with Disabilities visit https://www3.erie.gov/ecopd/  

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