The Largs Foreshore playground has had a much-needed upgrade, and the result will have you ice-creaming for joy!
As we head further into spring and the weather starts warming up, what better way to enjoy it than an accessible playground sculpted in homage to our favourite frozen dessert? The City of Port Adelaide Enfield has created an ice cream wonderland, and the cherry on top is that it’s fully accessible!
An accessible playground is an inclusive, accessible play area accommodating children of various physical, mental, or learning abilities.
Accessible playgrounds are an asset to any community. They provide a fun, social environment, increase self-esteem and confidence, promote sensory play and set community standards. They can be crucial in bringing communities together, furthering children’s development, and helping everyone achieve a sense of belonging and inclusion. An accessible playground reduces isolation and enables children of all abilities to use and enjoy the play space.
Disabilities come in all shapes and sizes and can be visible or invisible. Whether someone uses a mobility aid or has autism, more playgrounds should be a welcoming space for all children to enjoy active play with others.
With approximately 1 in 10 South Australian children living with a disability, designing an inclusive space to accommodate various abilities was a massive priority for the City of Port Adelaide Enfield (PAE).
They developed the accessible playground by collaborating with Adelaide West Special Education Centre students and Shaping Inclusion. They used feedback on what they enjoyed most about playgrounds and what infrastructure made them most accessible. According to PAE, Ben from Birdseye suggested the ice cream concept, inspired by student feedback and ideas and the location’s proximity to the Largs Bay Kiosk.
Students from Largs Bay School were then given the opportunity to vote on their favourite play equipment designs and share their feedback on the theme. These designs were created in collaboration with local businesses, such as Iguana Creative, Dirtworks, and SCA.
The accessible playground was completed in June, and the result is a magical blend of imagination and accessibility—you could say it’s the ice cream of the crop!
Children of all ages and abilities can explore the fun of all flavours with a banana split seesaw, climbable ice cream cup complete with a slide, and shiny cherry-on-top sculptures. The playground has also received an upgrade of practical features, such as new seating, shade, fencing, and an accessible toilet in the changing places.
Among the new features, this accessible playground has ‘Playspace Chat’ alternative communication boards, where users can point to the symbols to communicate with someone. There are also accessible trampolines, an inclusive ice cream cone mound slide, sensory ice cream sculptures and an accessible carousel. The ice cream and sprinkle-themed rubber ground surface is stunning and more wheelchair-accessible than bark chips.
This playground is worth melting over and is the perfect place for a family day out this summer. It has picnic tables, large surrounding grassed areas, ample car parking, a kiosk, barbecues, and the beach close by!
Full accessible playground features:
- A climbable soft-serve ice cream cup with a slide
- Inclusive mound slide
- Accessible trampolines
- Climbing tower with large tunnel slide
- Two swing sets
- Cherry sculptures
- Communication boards
- Ice cream scoop feature
- Banana split-themed accessible seesaw
- Accessible carousel
- Shade
- Seating
KompleteCare offers various services to help you and your family have a fun afternoon at this accessible playground.
We understand that maintaining social connections and getting out in the community can be challenging when caring for someone or living with a disability. Our home support workers can provide assistance in whatever way you need to help you enjoy and explore the Largs Foreshore playground. Call our office at (08) 8265 5696 or fill out an online enquiry form to find out how we can help you.