Making parks in city accessible to all

Making parks in city accessible to all
The TImes of India

Coles Park to be made friendly for children with disabilities

# Most of the parks and playgrounds are not accessible to children with disabilities
# The Rs. 5 lakh project is likely to be finished by January

Bangalore: If the efforts of a group of parents of children with disabilities bears fruit, Coles Park will soon become disabled-friendly.

Most of the parks and playgrounds in the city are not accessible to children who are differently abled and none of the play equipments are designed for their needs. Kilikili, a network of parents of children with disabilities wants to change all that.

The group said its aim was to make all parks and playgrounds universally accessible. It was starting with Coles Park and, apart from making modifications, and intends to work at making play equipment which would meet the developmental needs of all children and would cater to the specific needs of children with disabilities.

The organisation approached the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) to make changes in the park so that children with disabilities can access it and the civic body has given a favourable response. The project is likely to be finished by January.

Kilikili held a consultation, which was attended by 26 children from schools run by the Association of People with Disabilities, Karnataka Welfare Association for the Blind and Sunaad, Institute of Speech and Hearing, apart from special educators and those working with children with disabilities.

When these children were taken to the park they identified many shortcomings and gave suggestions — merry-go-rounds must be designed to accommodate a wheel chair; they should have seats; there should be play equipment that makes sounds for the visually impaired children; slides must have railings, some slides can also have a ramp; parks must have a sand pit and water games; pathways should be smooth with no loose stones over which children who cannot see can trip; pathways should allow easy movement of wheelchairs and there should be a ramp at the gate. "Changes will be made in the park to make it disabled-friendly and Kilikili has given us suggestions on how to go about it. Putting a grill around the park, construction of ramps for wheelchairs and few other modifications will be taken up and the BMP engineers are working at it," A.R. Zakir, corporator of Pulakeshinagar, where the park is located, said. The works will be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs. 5 lakh. "Special equipment that will provide sensory stimulation for children will be designed. A see-saw type of experience for wheelchair users and differently textured pathways will be provided. In addition, regular play equipment will be modified for higher safety such as swings and merry-go-rounds with seatbelts and seats with backrests," said Kavita Krishnamoorthy of Kilikili.

"In developing play spaces as inclusive spaces, Kilikili will help children of all abilities learn to interact with each other in a spirit of equality," she added. Making parks in city accessible to all

Sahana Charan

Coles Park to be made friendly for children with disabilities

# Most of the parks and playgrounds are not accessible to children with disabilities
# The Rs. 5 lakh project is likely to be finished by January

Bangalore: If the efforts of a group of parents of children with disabilities bears fruit, Coles Park will soon become disabled-friendly.

Most of the parks and playgrounds in the city are not accessible to children who are differently abled and none of the play equipments are designed for their needs. Kilikili, a network of parents of children with disabilities wants to change all that.

The group said its aim was to make all parks and playgrounds universally accessible. It was starting with Coles Park and, apart from making modifications, and intends to work at making play equipment which would meet the developmental needs of all children and would cater to the specific needs of children with disabilities.

The organisation approached the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) to make changes in the park so that children with disabilities can access it and the civic body has given a favourable response. The project is likely to be finished by January.

Kilikili held a consultation, which was attended by 26 children from schools run by the Association of People with Disabilities, Karnataka Welfare Association for the Blind and Sunaad, Institute of Speech and Hearing, apart from special educators and those working with children with disabilities.

When these children were taken to the park they identified many shortcomings and gave suggestions — merry-go-rounds must be designed to accommodate a wheel chair; they should have seats; there should be play equipment that makes sounds for the visually impaired children; slides must have railings, some slides can also have a ramp; parks must have a sand pit and water games; pathways should be smooth with no loose stones over which children who cannot see can trip; pathways should allow easy movement of wheelchairs and there should be a ramp at the gate. "Changes will be made in the park to make it disabled-friendly and Kilikili has given us suggestions on how to go about it. Putting a grill around the park, construction of ramps for wheelchairs and few other modifications will be taken up and the BMP engineers are working at it," A.R. Zakir, corporator of Pulakeshinagar, where the park is located, said. The works will be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs. 5 lakh. "Special equipment that will provide sensory stimulation for children will be designed. A see-saw type of experience for wheelchair users and differently textured pathways will be provided. In addition, regular play equipment will be modified for higher safety such as swings and merry-go-rounds with seatbelts and seats with backrests," said Kavita Krishnamoorthy of Kilikili.

"In developing play spaces as inclusive spaces, Kilikili will help children of all abilities learn to interact with each other in a spirit of equality," she added.