It is really heartening to see the Madison Parks Division continue their efforts in building full inclusive playgrounds throughout the city. Brittingham Park was completed in 2017, Elver Park will be done this fall and Reindahl Park is next up. Plans call for that to be followed by two more, Warner Park and then somewhere south or west.

If you haven’t had a chance to stop by Brittingham Park, you should. The play structure area is much larger than regular playgrounds. These projects are also a lot more expensive, but worth it. They are designed to accommodate everyone, regardless of age or disability, whether physical or cognitive. They include accessible swings, ramps for wheelchairs, and a soft rubber surface to cushion falls but still allow for wheelchair access.

Elvehjiem Elementary School on the city’s east side led the way with an inclusive playground in 2008, thanks to a national grant. Nearly 20 city parks have small inclusive portions of their playgrounds. Parks Superintendent Eric Knepp said that, as Madison has more playgrounds per capita than any other parks system in the country, it’s only logical that we feature more that are totally inclusive.

Parks improvements, like these playgrounds, can be financed through park impact fees. These are a one-time tax collected from new development projects to support area parks. Parks employees work closely with neighborhood residents, and others who will be using these structures, to get the best possible outcome of the design for the specific park. None of the structures will be exactly the same.

I look forward to seeing these projects as they are completed and we welcome everyone’s input as they are planned.

And to keep you in the loop, there are plans for playground replacements at Lake View Heights and Sherman Village Parks. Community meetings are being held so staff can work with area residents on planning.

Stay well.