Ukrainka has created the most modern playground in the US
'14.04.2017'
Source: Voice of America
A mother from the Ukrainian diaspora has created one of the best playgrounds for children and adults with disabilities. - informs Voice of America
Elena Stetsiv-Villarrial, an American of Ukrainian origin, created in California a unique playground for children and adults: “Magic bridge"(Magical Bridge Playground). The playground is available for both children and adults, regardless of their level of physical, mental or sensory abilities. This is one of the most advanced playgrounds in the United States.
The main feature of the site is to take into account not only the needs of children in wheelchairs, but also children with autism, sensory and cognitive disorders, limited vision, after all, adults with disabilities. And healthy children. This place is accessible to everyone.
The site in Palo Alto opened 2 a year ago. Until almost 8 years, research and fundraising continued. The project cost almost $ 4 million, and most of this money came from private sources. The city also allocated the territory, workers and financed the drawing up of an architectural plan. Fund Magical Bridge did the bulk of the work - doing research, collaborating with experts, creating the final designs and providing the main funding.
The entire playground is designed so that children and adults have plenty of opportunities for communication and playing together.
The site itself is free, all are funded by the city and volunteers. People from the surrounding cities come here to spend time with their children, because there is no other place like this in the whole district.
It all started with the fact that the youngest daughter of Elena Stetsiv-Villareal for a long time could not make a diagnosis. And even when Ewe was 5 years old, the doctors could not come to a consensus - but most agreed that she would benefit from the swing. But, alas, Eva simply did not have the strength to stay on the usual swing.
Using all possible resources, Ms. Stetsiv-Villareal was surprised to find out that neither her daughter nor other children with similar problems could be helped by any of the children's parks in Palo Alto - meanwhile, in this town of parks there are more than 30.
The problem is that the vast majority of playgrounds in the US are standard. In their arrangement, neither the problems of children with autism nor the problems of children with poor eyesight are taken into account. And this is not to mention the fact that there are no special sites for adults at all.
“How magical is this playground? It meets ADA requirements… ”.
In 1990, a special law was passed in the USA Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). According to this law, any public places, such as parks, restaurants, hotels, etc., should be accessible to people in wheelchairs. But, as the researchers later determined, only 10% of citizens with physical problems move in wheelchairs. But the legislator did not think about autism, poor eyesight and the like.
However, Elena Steciv-Villareal thought of this. And not only she: the name of the park in Palo Alto came up with her daughter.
Such platforms are called “inclusive”. This means exactly what is said above: accessible to everyone. In the “Magic Bridge” in a wheelchair you can reach almost every corner: on the carousel, on the stage, in the theater and even in the 2-two-story playhouse. For children with autism, a visit to the park can turn into an ordeal through a variety of sounds and images and constant movement around, so special recreation areas have been created for these children at the site.
One of the structures was specially designed for the "Magic Bridge" and the developers are now awaiting a patent. The innovative roller coaster has a kind of bench at the end - especially for those who need a little more time to get off the slide. The creators made sure not only that the child gets to the top, but also that, if necessary, he can relax below and calmly, without disturbing others, move into the stroller.
According to Ms. Stetsiv-Villareal, the first fundraiser was going badly - it was simply difficult for her to explain to potential sponsors what exactly the money would go for. But when the park opened, the money went not only from the States, but from all over the world. In this case, the money is usually attached requests about how to organize something similar in other countries.
The founded Stetsiv-Villareal Foundation recently decided to build 5 more such parks. The US government has allocated $ 10 million for these projects.
“I would never have thought that this was possible,” says Elena herself, who inspired the whole movement. "We cannot change the world ... But we can make our piece of the world a little kinder."
