Photos: Brentwood All Abilities Park Now Open

It was a special day in Brentwood yesterday as another park opened in East Contra Costa for children of all ages and ability. This is yet another asset to the community with a long list of folks who should be thanked. Rather than go into a long article, pictures really are worth a million bucks, so here is a short explanation followed by pictures.

According to the Contra Costa Times, the park was designed with input from local parents of children with special needs, the Universal Abilities Playground features musical, spinning, lifting and Ada-accessible elements that foster social, emotional, physical, sensory, cognitive and communication development in all children. A color-coded chart illustrates each piece of equipment for playground users and how it can promote development in each of the six key areas.the pirate theme is part of each detail of the ship, including a plank, telescope, deck, mast, treasure chest, Crow’s nest and moving components like a Rock and Raft and a Merry-Go-All, which is a merry-go-round that is accessible to children in wheelchairs. The project was a collaboration between the city of Brentwood and Special Kids, with help from the Lions Club, Hannah Nicole Winery and local companies.

Combined with Concord and Oakley, Contra Costa County now has a trio of parks for children of all ability to play at. This is such an amazing community that cares and it shows with the investments we are making towards children of all ages and all ability.

Nate Anderson, East Bay Freelance Photography, was kind enough to do me a favor and head to the park to take some photos for me of this fabulous ribbon cutting event. Greg Ruiz (Art) also sent me photographs along with Supervisor Mary Piepho’s daughter, Mariah. I also grabbed a couple photos off Brentwood City Councilman Gene Clares Facebook page. So I want to thank them all for the photographs.

Update: I’ve added some additional photographs to the gallery courtesy of Lisa McBride and she answered a couple of questions.

In speaking with Lisa McBride through email, she explained that the idea for a pirate themed park came up in the support group discussions because she loves all things pirate.

“I love all things pirate, but then the folks there started talking about how it fit with the Delta, and how kids love pirates too. We tossed around other themes too, but this is the one which the playground equipment people grabbed onto and designed around. Now our one of a kind ship is in their 2013 catalog…we were the prototype,” said McBride.

She explained how the vision of Special Kids Foundation  (www.spkids.org) came about when a collection of thoughts were put to paper in 2005. She began to set the wheels in motion and became a 501c3 in 2006. She is quick to point out that the park is just one aspect of the whole vision, and hopefully, this is just going to snowball into the entire mission of Special Kids finally coming together for so many very deserving families.

Although the list is long, McBride did want to thank many folks who have been involved.

“Our board of directors are amazing and tireless. Hannah Nicole (Glenda and Neil Cohn) have been amazing, as have The Lions Club, Brentwood Park & Rec (Roger Stromgren, Craig Bronzan) City of Brentwood, their city council…and SOOOOOOO many local businesses, and individual people who donate time, money, auction baskets….it is a work of heart!” said McBride.

Click the photos to enlarge

I will be adding more information and pictures as they come in.

Also, here is a great video from Greg Ruiz (Art) of the playground who posted it last night after the event. Well worth the watch. Here is the link to the YouTube Video.