Play & Park Structures, a PlayCore Company, is excited to announce the opening of a new, fully accessible, inclusive playground at Normal Park Museum Magnet School.
This beautiful new playground at Normal Park’s Lower School replaces the previous aging playground and is more accessible for both students and residents within the community.
Team members from Play & Park Structures gathered with teachers and staff from the school, along with city officials and members from the Hamilton County Board of Education to celebrate the grand opening. The new playground is designed to increase interaction, encourage conversation, and promote language skills in addition to being just plain fun. It was an exciting day and commemorated with snacks, music, and other fun activities. Introducing kids to a brand new playground is always an uplifting experience!
David Sharp, District 6 County Commissioner remarks, “Historically, local schools have had to rely on parental fundraising to provide play equipment for Hamilton County students. We must do better than that because a playground is a critical piece of educational curriculum. Play & Park Structures working together with Hamilton County Schools on this great facility is a big step forward for both students and our community as a whole.”
Moving beyond minimum accessibility guidelines, Normal Park’s Lower School playground intentionally addresses the development of the whole child, aligning itself with evidence-based design principles of the whole environment, and ultimately, benefits the entire community by providing a meaningful destination for individuals of all ages and abilities to play together.
“Normal Park Museum Magnet School's new playground has been named a National Demonstration Site for exceeding the minimum standards of inclusive playground design,” states Kelly Ellington, Play & Park Structures Director of Marketing & Product Development. “This inclusive play space applies the 7 Principles of Inclusive Playground Design to create an outdoor play environment where both physical and social inclusion occur to the greatest extent possible. We are beyond excited to provide a robust and balanced assortment of playground activities that support the physical, social-emotional, sensory, cognitive, and communicative needs of all children, including those with disabilities.”
Normal Park Museum Magnet Lower School playground is open to the public after school from 3:00 pm - sunset and on the weekends. It is located at 1009 Mississippi Ave., Chattanooga, TN, and can be accessed through the butterfly gate behind the school. To learn more about National Demonstration Sites and the importance of inclusive play, visit playandpark.com/national-demonstration-site-program.
“We are so thrilled to have the opportunity to have an inclusive playground where students of all needs and abilities are able to be successful and find a way to engage in play,” says Normal Park Lower School Principal Dr. Jamilie Johns.