By Alyssa Asick, Contributing Writer
A project coordinated by Susquehanna students for a new inclusive playground in East Snyder Park has been set in motion as the Penn Township Board recently approved the purchase of the equipment.
The plans for the playground started in the fall of 2017, and since then, have been supported by the Andy Russell Charitable Foundation as well as several Susquehanna students and alumni.
The students involved in this project are senior Kyle Kern, junior Rachel Sweger and Susquehanna alumnus Diamente Holloway, who are helping to secure grants and finances for the playground.
A council of local community and business leaders was created about two years ago to advance the project, according to Kern.
Kern has been involved in this project since its initial fundraising phase. He and Holloway worked together on a grant they received in October that earned them nearly $235,000 for the project.
Since then, Kern and Sweger have focused on smaller grants as well as bringing awareness to the project through social media.
At the Penn Township Board of Supervisors meeting, the decision to enter into the HGAC Buyer’s Agreement to purchase the playground equipment was approved.
The HGAC is a unit of local government that assists other local governments, and they strive to make the process of attainment for situations like these more efficient.
Jim Bathgate, a solicitor, stated that “It won’t cost the township anything.”
If other equipment needs to be bought in the future or extra pieces are wanted, that will have to discussed within the Buyer’s Agreement.
The playground is being built in order to support children with physical and mental disabilities so that they have a safe environment to grow and play in. This is why the playground will include physical, sensory and social play activities to maximize stimulation and challenge them while they are enjoying themselves.
According to Andy Russell’s website, having a physical place to play “promotes early brain development and learning, as well as decreases the risk of developing health conditions like coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and many other chronic health conditions.”
Some of the specific elements of physical play that will be in the park are swings, slides, climbing, balancing and bouncing. The swing area has accessible seats as well as seats for toddlers and standard belt seats.
In addition, the aero glider has enough space inside to allow for two wheelchairs and creates a gentle rocking motion that is soothing for many children with disabilities.
There are many activities that were created to stimulate children and urge them to investigate and explore naturally through sensory play. There is a concerto section with outdoor music equipment that was built low enough to be comfortably played with by all kids.
There is also a planter with a tree and flowers to make the area visually appealing.
The playground will also feature the cozy cocoon, which was designed specifically for children with autism spectrum disorders. If they were to get over stimulated, the cozy cocoon is an enclosed space for them to sit in, which has windows, so parents are still aware of where their child is.
Social play is important for all children, but it can be more difficult for kids with disabilities. Due to this, many of the features in the park were created to promote interaction and cooperation between all of the kids.
Playing together helps children learn social rules like sharing and reciprocating. The different levels of difficulty in certain areas allows for kids of differing ages to still be able to interact at their own comfort and ability level.
The triumph climber has three levels of climbing challenges all in one piece of equipment. In addition, the “Unity SpinR” is powered by the kids, so it requires them to cooperate with each other in order for them to start spinning.
Due to his involvement in such a large community project, Kern said that he has acquired many beneficial experiences such as gaining professional writing skills, learning how to write grant applications, and meeting many different people through connections with the project.
“I personally want to make sure that everyone has a chance to do something in their life,” Kern said. “With this project, we have a chance to make an impact on the community and ensure that all children have a safe place to enjoy their childhood.”
