La Grande Clarifies Design Choices and Accessibility of New Riverside Park Playground
By Garrett Christensen on Thursday, September 28th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE – Since 2022, the City of La Grande has been working toward replacing the now twenty-year-old Riverside Park playground. Following recent confirmation of the replacement design and the official start to fundraising, some concerns have been raised in the community. Major points of discussion include how much input the community had in the design process, the cost effectiveness of the project vs updating the existing park, and how accessible the new design is for children with disabilities. The Riverside Park Design Committee and La Grande Parks and Recreation have prepared an informational release to address some of these concerns and answer questions the community may still have:
NEW RIVERSIDE PARK INFORMATIONAL RELEASE
9/22/23
The current Riverside Park Playground, beloved as it is, has passed its projected 20-year lifespan. After conducting an evaluation of the structures for possible repair, it was deemed repair and ongoing maintenance was not a viable option.
BACKGROUND
Beginning with an in-depth community survey in 2022 as part of the master planning process, the La Grande Parks and Recreation Department identified the replacement of the Riverside structure as its top priority. The public was invited to participate in the planning process and a committee was formed. Out of seven potential structures, three were identified as possibilities, and a further series of focus groups, including presentations at La Grande schools, followed.
Over 1000 citizens participated in the planning process. The design by Ross Recreation stood out as the favorite.
THE DESIGN
Ross Recreation has a reputation both for quality and innovation in inclusive play for all. Cited from Ross Recreation, “We strive to build communities and playgrounds that are enjoyable for everyone. This is one reason why Ross Recreation Equipment Company is so proud to represent Landscape Structures and its line of inclusive playground equipment. Landscape Structures is the industry leader in inclusive play product design. Their products ensure a balance of play experiences that develop physical, cognitive, sensory, and social skills for children of all ages and abilities”.
A majority of the playground will be accessible with Foreverlawn, an ADA accessible classified surface. The planned structure meets Federal ADA requirements allowing this project to apply for matching State funds and grants.
Specifically:
- All parts of the playground will be connected by Foreverlawn pathways.
- The Omnispin Spinner is designed for children of all abilities and comes with easy transfer features. As the centerpiece of the park design, the SuperNetplex is the tallest accessible tower in the industry equipped with spiral belting offering an easy to navigate, accessible route to the top of the 12 foot tower!
- The current metal swingset will be rehabbed and reused to include a dedicated ADA swing. (Not pictured in Ross Recreation Equipment renderings of the playground, as this is an existing feature)
- The rendering of the playground is not a final design, and some equipment may be added and/or changed
MORE INFO
View the renderings of the playground design (which are subject to modification and upgrades as the build process continues) at https://lagrandeplayground.org/.
The FAQ section answers most questions and concerns. If you want to support the Riverside Rebuild- Playground Coming 2025 , check out the Sponsor & Donate tab. Further questions should be directed to La Grande Parks and Recreation.
