Supporting the
Walnut Creek community and the community's youth since 1992
Heather Farm All-Abilities Playground
ALWAYS A FAVORITE PLAY SPOT FOR FAMILIES
Since its grand opening in October 2014, the Heather Farm playground has become one of the most popular attractions in the area for children and their families. Through the financial generosity of the community, the Civic Pride Foundation raised more than $370,000 for the project. Six local foundations were key contributors to the project: Fremont Bank Foundation, HEDCO Foundation, William A. Kerr Foundation, Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation, Thomas J. Long Foundation, and Joseph & Vera Long Foundation.
Signature Play Areas
All Abilities Playground is 30,000 square feet in size and was designed to fully address the needs of the whole child
by intentionally addressing the physical, cognitive, communicative, social/emotional, and sensory needs of all children, including the estimated 10-20 percent of our children who have some type of disability.
The playground has distinct play areas that appeal to a range of ages, from toddlers
to children as old as 12 years of age.
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2-5-Year-Old Play Area (learn more)
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5-12-Year-Old Play Area (learn more)
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Multi-Age, All-Abilities Play Area: Centrally located
between the two age-group areas, this area has a
large multi-element ramped structure -
Free-Play Climbing Hill: Also centrally located, this area
facilitates free, unstructured play for all ages -
Sand Play Lot
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Swing Set Zone, featuring both traditional swings and
accessible bucket swings
All-Abilities Features
Because of the success of the private fundraising effort, the playground has the following features:
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Shock-absorbent, resilient-surface pathways and flooring beneath all play equipment, allowing children and their caregivers with mobility challenges to move around the playground easily
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Structures and equipment with wider ramps, allowing children to get the greatest use and enjoyment from the playground
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Ramped structures, which allow children to have a sense of elevation
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Climbing structures that allow children of all abilities to challenge themselves
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Abundance of ground-level play opportunities
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Swing set zone with tot swings and high-back special-needs swings
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Sound and sensory equipment throughout
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Shaded play structures, providing more protection from heat and sun
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Benches within the play zones, so parents can sit close to where children play
Park Location
The All Abilities Playground is located in an area surrounded by mature shade trees and adjacent to picnic areas and approved ADA-compliant restrooms and parking facilities. As part of the project, the City made a number of accessibility improvements to the park, including the addition of more van accessible parking spaces and other parking lot upgrades as well as the creation of accessible pathways to the public spaces and playground.
