The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks has three universally accessible playgrounds where children of all abilities can play side-by-side. Another playground is in design and the City's goal is to have six large regional playgrounds as well as 15 smaller ones throughout the city.

History

The first west coast playground began with one mother. In March of 1997 Catherine Curry-Williams gave birth to a son, Shane, who died two weeks later of spinal muscular atrophy (a disorder that would have left him severely disabled had he survived). Catherine's sister-in-law sent her an article from an East Coast paper about another family who also lost a child. They had turned their grief into action by creating a playground.

Inspired by the story, Catherine and her husband Scott did their research and learned that there were no wheelchair-accessible playgrounds on the west coast. They decided to take action. Catherine joined with a friend, Tiffany Harris, and together they created a non-profit organization called SHANE'S INSPIRATION.

Their mission: To create a truly unique recreational environment in Los Angeles that provides an opportunity for children with disabilities to play at their highest level, enhancing their emotional, physical and social development, as well as teaching compassion and acceptance.

Public/Private Partnership

Catherine and Tiffany raised $1 million for their playground. Former
Councilman Mike Feuer learned of their desire to build the playground in Griffith Park. He presented the motion to the City Council, which voted unanimously to allocate two acres of prime land in Griffith Park to the
project.

Cutting Red Tape to Cutting the Ribbon

According to Catherine, "Department staff worked with Shane's Inspiration (the organization) on a daily basis, in a seamless public/private partnership - cutting through obstacles and red tape. In many ways it was the best of both worlds. Our private funding made it possible for us to choose our contractors. The partnership with Recreation and Parks and former Councilman Feuer removed all bureaucratic obstacles. If we had to do this on our own, we would be years away from completion." Shane's Inspiration opened on September 21, 2000.

Wheelchair Accessible

Playing at Shane's Inspiration

A New Playground

The Shane's Inspiration founders established Playground Resource Center West to assist other community groups with the development of these special playgrounds. They were contacted by the Gaffney family whose son, Aidan James, had been born with a progressive disease that left him ventilator dependent and wheelchair bound. Once again in partnership with the Department of Recreation and Parks, a second west coast playground, AIDAN'S PLACE, was established at the Department's Westwood Park. Aidan died on June 26, 2001 and didn't see the opening of the playground, but his spirit was present at the opening on December 5, 2001 which would have been his sixth birthday.

Aidan's Place Slide

The Future

With over 160,000 special education students in Los Angeles County, there is a great demand for more fully-integrated play facilities. The department has a goal of developing six regional playgrounds, and has identified Hansen Dam and Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park as the next sites.

In addition, the Department hopes to identify 15 parks citywide which could accommodate the enlargement of an existing play pit or installation of a mid-sized playground (75'x90'). California Assembly Bill 716 approved in September of 2002 allocates $9 million in Proposition 40 funds for universally accessible playgrounds, which will help this vision become a reality.