IRVINE, Calif.—Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine) recently secured $2.8 million for the renovation of a STEM and outer space-themed park for people with cognitive and physical disabilities.
To be located at Sweet Shade Park in Westpark, the city’s first “universal playground” is designed to allow children and adults with special needs to play alongside others without modifying the equipment.
“The new STEM and outer space theme will provide exciting interactive sensory learning for special needs individuals, and I can’t wait to see kids come together to enjoy this phenomenal resource in our community,” Petrie-Norris said in a statement.
The renovation will build upon the existing playground, adding features like a galaxy design with a bank-shot basketball court and stars embedded near a space dome.
There will also be a high-back adaptive swing and a sensory garden, which are usually raised for wheelchair access and allow people to touch, smell, and sometimes eat what grows.
The playground will also have an adjacent restroom and adult changing area.
“The swings and playground structure will allow wheelchair users to experience the thrill of playing alongside peers, and the restrooms will benefit families and those who need additional caregiving,” Jennifer Kim, chair of the Irvine Residents with Disabilities Advisory Board, said in a statement.
Renovations will start toward the end of the year and should take up to a year and a half to complete, according to Pamela Baird, the city’s director of community services.
Baird told The Epoch Times she is “extremely grateful for the funding” which will finance the entire project.
Irvine City Councilman Larry Agran told The Epoch Times the universal playground is a “remarkable statement of how far our society has come.”
“The idea we would have a park with universally utilized features and facilities brings us together. … The benefits of living in a fully integrated community are tremendous,” Agran said.
Sweet Shade Park is 7.9 acres and is home to the city’s disability services and the Ability Center, which hosts programs for individuals with disabilities, including arts, social recreation, dance, gardening, and cooking.
The park also contains a tot play area, a community building, basketball courts, a large open turf area with walking trails, picnic tables, and barbecues.
Orange County already has multiple accessible playgrounds, including Barton Park in Anaheim and Angel’s Playground in Costa Mesa’s TeWinkle Park.
