An Awesome Start to 2017 for The Awesome Spot!
The Awesome Spot, a socially inclusive playground planned for Beyer Community Park in Modesto, is full steam ahead in 2017!
The AWESOME design for the playground was recently revealed and the project is currently in the fundraising phase. Based on community input the playground is divided into three distinct areas for exploration and free play: the Swamp Cruise, Savannah Safari, and the Rainforest Excursion. Each area has a multitude of sensory rich experiences offering graduated levels of difficulty, just right sensory input, and limitless creative play! Sponsorships are available at all levels ranging from a book purchase donation, to a variety of playground equipment options, to the opportunity to be a playground name sponsor! The sponsorship packet, which includes Tommy’s story (the inspiration for the playground), information on social inclusion and sensory play, information on the playground design, a full list of sponsorship options, and much more, is available for viewing here.
In addition to the sponsorship options available in the packet, the playground has also received tremendous support from local design firms! The Awesome Spot team is proud to announce that three firms have graciously joined the cause by donating design services to the project! Justin W. Capp Engineering and Design has donated all structural engineering services, Crawford & Associates, Inc. has donated all geotechnical engineering services, and Miller Pezzoni and Associates, Inc. has donated all electrical engineering services.
O’Dell Engineering is an avid supporter and promoter of inclusive play environments. The O’Dell team performed the site topo investigation, designed the play space, created the sponsorship packet, is involved in fundraising efforts, maintains the website, and has run all public outreach meetings. The emphasis of socially inclusive playgrounds (a term coined by O’Dell Engineering) is not on helping children with disabilities to adjust to and accept the play environment, but rather designing the play environment to meet the needs and abilities of all children. Inclusive play environments are a fundamental statement about social values and children’s right to play.
We can’t wait to see what this AWESOME year will bring for The Awesome Spot!
To take a 3D virtual tour of the playground, click here.
To learn more about The Awesome Spot, visit their website or Facebook page.
To make a donation to The Awesome Spot, visit their donation or GoFundMe page.
To learn more about socially inclusive play design, click here.