OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Featuring two ramps, musical instruments, wheelchair swings, an in-ground merry-go-round, and more, this nearly 10,000-square-foot playground has something for everybody.
- Video shows kids and families enjoying the playground.
- This playground aims to remove barriers for neighbors in the disability community and is the first inclusive one in the Omaha metro area west of 84th Street.
- "The fact that they can meet with a friend at the park and have a picnic—those are childhood experiences that I think everyone should get."
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A new inclusive playground at Lake Zorinsky is now open. Here, kids and families are having fun playing and enjoying the features that make this space so special.
Featuring two ramps, musical instruments, wheelchair swings, an in-ground merry-go-round, and more, this nearly 10,000-square-foot playground has something for everybody.
"This has so many different activities and challenges, and they just entertain themselves with all of it, so it’s fun,” said Axel Adair.
Adair is visiting with family, including his daughter Charlie, who has special needs. It’s their first time here, and Axel says Charlie is taking in every second of it.
"She's pretty active, so she likes to walk around and explore different things, but she doesn't really climb or do challenging things, so this is a perfect playground for her,” said Adair.
This playground aims to remove barriers for neighbors in the disability community and is the first inclusive one in the Omaha metro area west of 84th Street.
Robert Thayer, whose family lives nearby, appreciates having the accessible space so close to home.
"I absolutely love it. Having it this close to home—we live just on the other side of Zorinsky—so having this close is great,” said Robert Thayer.
Creating more accessible spaces for play, not just for kids, but for the whole family, is what the organization Imagine Inclusion aimed to do when they started this project seven years ago.
"The fact that they can meet with a friend at the park and have a picnic—those are childhood experiences that I think everyone should get,” said Lauren Citro, co-founder of Imagine Inclusion.
"There's a lot of other playgrounds around here, but she can only use a few of the things. Having everything be accessible is fantastic,” said Thayer.
