November 2021 - Parks & Recreation - 37

ability for families to play together
due to the sizeinclusive
designs.
and
abilitySafety
was
another
important factor. Parents,
especially mothers, appreciated the
soft, cushioned surface for injury
prevention
and the
thoughtful
design and arrangement of
features to promote high visibility
from multiple vantage points. This
attention to detail made PlayGrand
Adventures stand out as a great
place for families to play.
Donors respond to opportunities
that are easily understood, immediately
actionable and personally
relevant. The key themes in donor
motivation proved to be relevance
and connection. Many large donors
shared an affinity with PlayGrand
Adventures, including location,
healthcare, engineering or
design. While less lucrative, opportunities
to name benches and paint
tiles adorning the playground provided
a direct connection between
donors and PlayGrand Adventures.
All-abilities playgrounds are
expensive to build and maintain, so
PlayGrand Adventures was wise to
diversify donation opportunities to
attract and reward different levels
of engagement.
PlayGrand Adventures
is
via
visitation
" fun, "
and
perceived
as an engaging, safe and
unique playground that motivates
support
donation.
Common words used to
describe PlayGrand Adventures
were
" safe, "
" inclusive "
and " different. " These words show
what visitors and donors value in
the playgrounds they visit and financially
support. The perception
of safety applied to every aspect
Visitors to PlayGrand Adventures expressed
satisfaction with the equipment
and amenities, praising the quantity,
variety and intentional inclusivity of
features.
PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | NOVEMBER 2 0 2 1
| Parks & Recreation
37
of PlayGrand Adventures, including
the
location,
the
surfacing,
the
sightlines, the well-lit parking
lot and the thoughtfully designed
equipment. In addition to safety,
participants valued PlayGrand Adventures
as a place where everyone
could have fun playing together,
setting the playground apart from
less diverse playgrounds. This was
critical for families impacted by
disabilities, but families without
disabilities also noted the importance
of exposure and collaborative
play in building empathy for
others and decreasing stigma.
Applying the Findings
In addition to PlayGrand Adventures,
the implications of my findings
extend to multiple stakeholders.
PlayGrand Adventures - Based
PlayGrand Advenon
findings,
tures is on the right track with its
design,
features
Continued expansion
and amenities.
will
offer
new play zones to accommodate
different age groups and sensory
needs that did not receive attention
in the first phase. Participants noted
that children love to climb, so
adding additional climbing features
will satisfy that desire. Participants
also loved the inclusive equipment
that encouraged collaborative play
and features that could be enjoyed
by the whole family regardless of
age or ability level. Some specific
suggestions included a laser harp,
splash pad and mirror maze. These
features could be enjoyed by anyone
and diversify the offerings at
the playground.
As support continues to grow,
the PlayGrand Adventures team
should strive to balance funding
November 2021 - Parks & Recreation

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