FOR US, BY US by Amanda Carmichael
THERE'S A SAYING among families who have loved ones with special needs, "for us, by us." Simply put, if you are going to create something with accommodations for accessibility or for people with special needs, include those people in the design and planning processes. That's precisely the approach the city of Hoover, AL., located a few miles south of Birmingham, took when creating the state's largest inclusive playground. Designed by GameTime and J.A. Dawson & Company, GameTime's ex-
clusive representative in Alabama, the 15,000-square-foot playground and 7,000-square-foot splash pad provide universal access and were designed to provide play and recreation opportunities to people of all ages and abilities. City leaders and disability advocates spent the last two years preparing the EXPLORE inclusive playground and splash pad at the Hoover Metropolitan Sports Complex. A local citizen originally proposed the idea of an all-inclusive playground to Mayor Frank Brocato in honor of his daughter Carly. Carly has a rare disability known as CDKL5 which causes
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severe developmental delays. And now, Carly’s Clubhouse is a central feature of the new playground. Mayor Brocato sought out many organizations and specialists to consult on the necessary amenities to ensure EXPLORE went beyond the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and into a fully-inclusive environment. Among those involved with the project was Dee Nance, the City of Hoover’s Community Services Officer with a degree in therapeutic recreation. Nance played a crucial role in the funding and research of the Hoover EXPLORE projwww.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
