City’s First All-Inclusive Playground Design Revealed

Providence Playscape to open Fall 2020

Media: Fianna Dickson, 625.6297. Parks & Recreation: 311

Wednesday, June 24, 2020 at 11:49 a.m.

SPOKANE – Designs were unveiled today for the City’s first all-inclusive playground, funded by a community benefit grant from Providence Health Care.

Providence Playscape will be an all-inclusive playground in Riverfront Park. The approximate 8,000 square foot playground is under construction and anticipated to open this fall.

An all-inclusive playground is designed to be socially inclusive, help meet child development milestones, and offer activities that support physical, cognitive, social, and sensory needs.

Mayor Nadine Woodward, Peg Currie, chief operating officer of Providence Health Care, along with Garrett Jones, director of Parks & Recreation, unveiled the design illustration, name, and nature theme at a virtual event.

“This community investment supports families – families who live here and those that visit our great community,” said Peg Currie, chief operating officer for Providence Health Care. “This space will provide an enriching and playful environment to support the physical, social and emotional needs of all and create enjoyable memories that last a lifetime.”

“Providence Playscape will mean so much to our community,” said Garrett Jones, director of Parks & Recreation. “This playground creates a first-of-its-kind shared space in our park system, where everyone can play, learn, and grow together, and it wouldn’t be possible without Providence as a partner.”

At a Glance: Providence Playscape

  • City of Spokane’s first all-inclusive playground, designed for all abilities
  • Size: 8,000 square feet
  • Theme: Nature
  • Location: situated along the Howard Street Promenade on west Havermale Island, just north of the orange bridge in Riverfront Park
  • Funding: Over $1 million dollar community benefit grant over five years from Providence Health Care, through the Spokane Parks Foundation’s Campaign for Riverfront Spokane

Play Elements

More than 20 unique, inclusive play elements come together to create Providence Playscape. Highlights include:

  • A “we-go-round” suitable for wheel chairs, and creates user-driven movement
  • Swings made for all bodies and abilities
  • A sensory wall helping children improve their visual, auditory, and tactile processing
  • A roller table allowing children to pull themselves through the tunnel over rolling bars
  • A sand table creating tactile experiences
  • Various music-making pieces inviting children to create sounds with chimes and rainmakers
  • Shapes like the “cozy dome” built to create quiet retreats

In addition to play elements, Providence Playscape will feature:

  • Colorful, resilient rubber surfacing creates ease of movement for wheels and walkers
  • Shade structures
  • Benches and seating areas, several with receptacles for charging motorized chairs
  • Two family restrooms, wheel chair accessible with adult-sized changing tables
  • Drinking fountain

Design

Shane’s Inspiration is a playground design firm that creates inclusive playgrounds and educational programs aimed at fostering social inclusion. They generously donated the playground design.

 

Community focus groups made up of parents, children, and health professionals specializing in adaptive and sensory play provided input at multiple stages during development. Their expertise helped ensure the playground meets the diverse needs of our community.

Construction Update

Foundations and retaining walls have been poured, and lighting and electrical have been installed. Sidewalks are being placed, and irrigation installed.

Playground elements continue to arrive on site, and will be placed over the next few months, along with resilient surfacing, two family restrooms, charging stations, and a drinking fountain. The playground is scheduled for completion this fall.

A second, bond-funded playground with an Ice Age theme is under construction on the north bank, slated for spring 2021 completion.

 

About Providence Health Care

Providence Health Care is a network of services including Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital, and Providence Holy Family Hospital – all nationally recognized for quality care, as well as two critical access hospitals in Colville and Chewelah. It also includes a full continuum of services – Providence Medical Park in Spokane Valley (a comprehensive multi-specialty center), urgent care centers, Express Care locations, home health, assisted living, adult day health and skilled nursing care. Providence Medical Group of eastern Washington includes more than 850 physicians and advanced practitioners.

Providence Health Care Community Benefit is the measurable contribution made by Providence Health Care to improve the overall health and well-being of our local communities, with concern for those who are poor and vulnerable. Providence focuses on efforts to demonstrate collaboration while maintaining a standardization provided by the federal government.

 

About City of Spokane Parks and Recreation

City of Spokane Parks and Recreation stewards nearly 120 properties across 4,000 acres of park land, including manicured parks, conservation lands, aquatic centers, golf course, sports complexes, and an arboretum. We also offer hundreds of recreation opportunities for all ages and abilities to improve the health and quality of life for our community. Enjoy all your city has to offer by visiting spokaneparks.org. Follow us @SpokaneParks on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

 

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