Barrier Free Playground, Castlewood Park

The Barrier Free Playground at Castlewood Park in Lexington, KY is a project of the Leadership Lexington Class of 2010 which will renovate and add to the existing playground.

The Barrier Free Playground at Castlewood Park in Lexington, KY is a project of the Leadership Lexington Class of 2010 which will renovate and add to the existing playground.

The Barrier Free Playground at Castlewood Park in Lexington, KY is a project started by members of the Leadership Lexington Class of 2009-2010. It is a renovation and addition of an existing playground in a predominately low-income neighborhood. Castlewood Park’s playground is also utilized each year by the city of Lexington for their Therapeutic Recreation Camp for children.

The current playground is circular in shape and has a ramped sidewalk around the perimeter. It has a play structure that is mostly handicap accessible and a couple of swings with molded high backs. Otherwise the playground has a lot of open space and wood chip surfacing. Our renovation calls for the installation of a softer rubber surfacing, new equipment that meets the needs of kids of varying abilities, some shading over the play area (trees and/or shade features on the equipment), and new landscaping.

Some of the equipment we are proposing for this park includes a wheel chair accessible glider; a dome that creates a quiet space for over-stimulated kids; and a sensory play area to introduce kids to various textures, shapes and sounds. One of the primary features we have planned for the playground is a brightly colored, poured-in-place rubber surface under all of the equipment. The current wood chip surfacing makes it nearly impossible to navigate a wheel chair up to the play equipment especially in times of wet weather. Children on medication often have increased sensitivity to sunlight; therefore, we would plan to incorporate shade elements into our playground, whether through the installation of trees and/or the addition of shade canopies over equipment. We also plan to make the space more inviting with the addition of a few native plants and some trees.

1. Create an inclusive playground in which kids of all abilities can explore together.

2. To raise $133,000 for the renovation and additions needed at this playground.