All Abilities Playground at Heather Farm Park

BUILDING A LEGACY FOR ALL CHILDREN

 

Through the financial generosity of the community, the Civic Pride Foundation raised more than $370,000 for the
All Abilities Playground at Heather Farm Park.

 

Since its grand opening in October 2014, the playground has become one of the most popular attractions in the area for children and their families.

 

In addition to some 250 individual and group donors, the
key contributors to the project were six local foundations.

  • Fremont Bank Foundation

  • HEDCO Foundation

  • William A. Kerr Foundation

  • Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation

  • Thomas J. Long Foundation

  • Joseph & Vera Long Foundation

 

Read more about the playground features and project costs.

 

If you have questions or comments on the playground, please
email Heather Ballenger, director of public works for the city.

      

Signature Play Areas

 

Walnut Creek’s 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 new playground has distinct play areas that appeal to a range of ages, from toddlers to children as old as 12 years of age.

  • 2-5-Year-Old Play Area (learn more)

  • 5-12-Year-Old Play Area (learn more)

  • 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

  • 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:

  • 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

  • Structures and equipment with wider ramps, allowing children to get the greatest use and enjoyment from the playground

  • Ramped structures, which allow children to have a sense of elevation

  • Climbing structures that allow children of all abilities to challenge themselves

  • Abundance of ground-level play opportunities

  • Swing set zone with tot swings and high-back special-needs swings

  • Sound and sensory equipment throughout

  • Shaded play structures, providing more protection from heat and sun

  • 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.