"Can-Do"
Playground Coming to East Park
A 27,000 square foot play
area, known as the "Can-Do" Playground, is located in
the East Park section of the Blue Ball Properties Project in Alapocas Run
State Park, located just off Route 202 in north Wilmington.
This
Boundless Playground®
is one of only 60 nationwide and the first one in Delaware. It is designed
to allow all children to play side-by-side, regardless of ability or disability.
East Park's "Can-Do" Playground will offer fully integrated, universally
accessible, developmentally appropriate, safe, fun and challenging experiences
to area children.
Six Wilmington area Rotary
Clubs, along with DelDOT and DNREC's Division of Parks and Recreation, developed the playground. The Rotary Clubs took on the task of raising
$500,000 of the $800,000 needed. Members of the clubs also contributed
"sweat equity".
Fact Sheet
- The Can-Do Playground
for children with and without disabilities will be the first of its kind
in Delaware
- It will be developed
in conjunction with the National Center for Boundless Playgrounds® of
Connecticut, a leader in creating accessible playgrounds
- Some 8,000 children
in our community have disabilities that make it difficult or impossible
for them to enjoy traditional playgrounds
- Design and equipment
in the Can-Do Playground will be accessible to every child regardless of
physical, mental and sensory abilities
- Opening date: Summer
2007
- Location: Eastern section
of the new Alapocas Run State Park that is part of the Blue Ball Project
off Route 202 in north Wilmington, Delaware
- Size: 27,000 square
feet
- Sponsors and developers:
Six Wilmington-area Rotary clubs – Brandywine, Brandywine Hundred,
Caesar Rodney, Naamans, Wilmington and Wilmington West in partnership with
the Delaware Department of Transportation and the Department of Natural
Resources and Environmental Control's Division of Parks and Recreation,
which have provided the land and will complete all site preparation
- Cost: $800,000; $500,000
of which will be raised by the Rotary Club Project
- The project has been
undertaken to celebrate the Centennial of Rotary International, the world's
oldest private service organization
