The only playground of its kind in our area is officially open at Crooked Creek Park in Indian Trail, and the community is invited to come check it out.
Staff with Indian Trail’s Parks and Recreation Department will be on hand Friday, April 13, from 3 to 5 p.m., to highlight all the unique features of the new All-Inclusive Playground. They will be available to talk to parents and kids about what types of programs they would like to see offered and what amenities are coming next to the park.
The All-Inclusive Playground boasts a number of play panels, a soft surface and more for children with special needs. At more than 6,000 square feet large, the playground provides an area for children and their families that is unmatched in Union County and across our region. With accessible ramps and play panels specifically created for youth of all ages and needs, as well as a pour-in-place rubber surface to provide easy mobility for wheelchairs, the All-Inclusive Playground brings a much-needed element to the community.
And while the playground is tailored toward children with special needs, it is open to all.
“It’s so important in everything we do that we stop and ask ourselves the question, ‘What more could we do here, what extra step could we take, to make sure we have something great for everyone to enjoy?’” Indian Trail Parks and Recreation Director Jay Tryon said. “This new All-Inclusive Playground is such an important step in that direction, to make sure every family who comes to Crooked Creek Park has something really special they can enjoy.”
Included in the playground is a Braille panel, a sprocket panel, a touch & play piano and touch & play drums, a paddle ball panel and more. The panels provide a variety of benefits, including helping develop fine-motor skills and dexterity, encouraging imaginative play, helping sensory and cognitive development, encouraging social interaction among children and helping provide tactile and visual sensory input.
“The adaptive/inclusive playground created by the Town of Indian Trail is a perfect way to allow children with disabilities to have a quality and safe place to play and get exercise,” Keith L. Fishburne, President/CEO, Special Olympics North Carolina, said. “Everyone deserves the chance to play and feel a part of their community. We think it’s great that this playground will provide wonderful memories for many children in the years to come.”
The All-Inclusive Playground includes 11 accessible parking spots in addition to general parking. The Town also has purchased a waterproof wheelchair for use at the Splashpad, on the other side of Crooked Creek Park, when that amenity opens later this year.
Find more information on these events at the Indian Trail Parks and Recreation website, www.itsparksandrec.com, or call 704-821-8114.