Delta is planning to have more accessible playgrounds in the city.
Council this week approved a staff recommendation to award a $223,980 contract for a new fully-accessible playground at Ladner Lions Park, a playground that will have new play structures as well as the addition of rubberized surfacing.
The city currently has 30 playgrounds spread out throughout Delta and many are nearing the end of their service life. Delta has a Playground Renewal Program, which is an ongoing replacement program.
A report by Parks Recreation and Culture Director Ken Kuntz notes that with the advice and guidance of the new Mobility and Accessibility Committee, Delta has focused on making playgrounds more accessible for people with disabilities.
“To achieve a fully accessible playground, both play elements and the fall surfacing must be accessible. Currently, the only fully accessible playground provided by Delta is the playground located just outside of the North Delta Recreation Centre,” the report explains.
The report notes that a significant component of accessibility is to add a poured-in-place rubberized surfacing at select locations within the program.
Playgrounds that are used by a wider geographical area of the community and have supporting washroom facilities are locations where the poured-in-place surfacing is being considered. Ladner Lions Park meets that criteria.
Kuntz told council at its July 12th meeting that the focus of the replacement program is to make the larger playgrounds more accessible as well as locations with the biggest geographic draw.
Council also agreed to award an $87,440 contract for new playground structures at Cory Drive Park, but that one will not have the rubberized surfacing.
New city playgrounds are also to have more “natural play with an element of risk to support child and youth development.”
Kuntz’s report also notes that as part of the 2022 city financial plan process, a proposal to increase the funding for the Playground Replacement Program to include accessible surfacing when replacing playgrounds at active community parks will be put forward for council's consideration.
