All Kids Playground at James Day Park – Parma, OH

All children deserve to have playtime and space, however, children with disabilities are not always able to enjoy playgrounds especially when they are cumbersome, not fully accessible, or too far from home.

Snider Recreation worked with the All-Kids Playground organization to design an all-inclusive playground that creates an environment where a child’s physical health, emotional well-being, and development of life skills are met as they learn and grow through play. The need for the playground was immediate, Jeff Snider made sure that the design could be broken into phases, with each phase focusing in on enhancing the inclusion and addressing the needs of children with all abilities. Snider Recreation made sure that the playground would look complete at the end of each phase. This playground is an inviting place that accommodates mobility devices, play structures, and activity areas.

Council President Sean Brennan spearheaded the legislation to donate the property to the non-profit organization, located at James Day Park (formally Nike Park) in Parma, Ohio.  Phase One was completed with a supervised installation. Snider Recreation supervised volunteers from the community.  Mickey Vittardi, director of parks and recreation, jumped in with his department, and they helped with the construction and installation of the equipment.

The idea for the playground came from a teacher listening to the concerns of local parents with special needs children, Tamara Tomasello, and numerous other parents, professionals and teens from the community, joined forces to try to raise dollars to create the All Kids Playground, a playground designed to allow children with and without disabilities to play side by side with peers and siblings. “This will be for all children, not just for children with special needs, but for all children to get along and play together. It will be a pleasant place for families from all over to interact.” Tomasello said.

With enough room for two wheelchairs and two full benches, the Cruiser allows up to 12 children of all abilities to play together. Handles at both ends allow adults or other children to assist with motion and enjoy the experience.

Adaptive swing seats with an optional adjustable safety harness. Designed to meet ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards

Help all children get into the heart of the play where even the path from one activity to the next can be an adventure, with ADA transfer stations, ramps, and wide bridges and walkways. We take play for all seriously and want children of all abilities to enjoy the benefits of playing together.