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Q&A
Council member inquires about inclusive playground designs for children with sensory sensitivities
2:03:46
ยท
3 min
Council Member Mercedes Narcisse questions Parks Commissioner Susan Donoghue about incorporating sensory-friendly elements in playground designs for children with autism and other sensory sensitivities. The discussion covers the Parks Department's efforts to create inclusive and safe environments for children with different abilities.
- The Commissioner confirms that new playground designs incorporate accessibility features and sensory elements for children across the spectrum of abilities.
- Narcisse inquires specifically about the playground in Marin Park, requesting information on when sensory-friendly features will be implemented.
- The Commissioner promises to follow up with specific timing for the Marin Park playground improvements.
Mercedes Narcisse
2:03:46
Alright, I'm coming back again.
2:03:48
You know I love parks, right?
2:03:50
With increasing awareness of the needs of children with autism and other sensory sensitivities, how is the Parks Department ensuring that new playground designs incorporate sensory friendly elements?
2:04:08
Are we making it a priority to create playgrounds that are not only inclusive, but also provide a safe and engaging environment for children with different abilities including those with sensory processing challenges?
Susan Donoghue
2:04:29
Absolutely, council member, and thank you for the question.
2:04:32
And our capital division has done an incredible job ensuring not only ADA accessibility, but really being thoughtful about all kinds of different ably disabled children.
2:04:48
And so we have incorporated in our designs extensive, as part of our renovations, extensive sensory elements so that kids with autism, kids across the spectrum will feel comfortable.
2:05:05
All of our new playground designs, if you see them, incorporate and are thoughtful about accessibility, about how we can make them as welcoming and as you said, not only safe for kids but also as welcoming for differently abled children as well.
Mercedes Narcisse
2:05:24
Yes.
2:05:24
Because you know as being a nurse hearing the parents ask me all that because they say how could we bring our children to the park and our children have autism, they're not responding the same way as other children.
2:05:37
While we're on that playground, thank you for the oval in Marin Park, it's completed.
2:05:42
Oh, thank you God.
2:05:44
But now the playground.
2:05:47
Am I gonna have the sensory things addressing the children that have the challenges needs in there?
2:05:53
And when we're have it?
Susan Donoghue
2:05:55
I can get back to you on the when because I don't have that specifically, but as you know, we work so hard.
2:06:01
The first thing that we do in any capital project is get input from the community, and so we're always gonna be responding to, if people say that their primary objective, their primary thing that they want is to have, you know, play equipment for differently abled children, that's what we're gonna do.
2:06:19
We're always looking to be responsible to the needs of the community.
Mercedes Narcisse
2:06:22
Yeah.
2:06:23
Because the parents are killing me because they the park, they've been looking at it and it'd been years sitting there.
2:06:28
And now we have the oval.
2:06:30
They want for me to give them the date when, when council member we're gonna have that playground back.
Susan Donoghue
2:06:36
Yes, absolutely.
2:06:38
Understandable.
2:06:39
We can get back to you.
Mercedes Narcisse
2:06:40
Thank you so much.
2:06:41
Appreciate it.
2:06:42
Thank you, chair, again for my second round.
2:06:45
I appreciate you.
Shekar Krishnan
2:06:45
Absolutely.