Abington Township announced today that the playground at Roychester Park will be closed for the installation of an inclusive playground from Monday, January 6 until sometime in September.
In November, State Rep. Ben Sanchez announced that a $350,000 state grant was awarded to the project, which has been in the works since 2023.
“These projects will benefit the Abington community by creating spaces where everyone, regardless of age or ability, feels welcome and valued,” Sanchez said. “Through creating an inclusive playground, children of all abilities can engage, play and grow together. This funding reflects our commitment to building safer, more accessible and more inclusive spaces for all residents.”
From the township’s website:
An inclusive playground incorporates physical, cognitive, social, sensory, and communicative elements to enhance the play of children who have different abilities and removes the barriers that limit their experiences. Physical elements offer opportunities from engaging hands and fingers for fine motor skills to using the entire body for agility and balance. These elements are also designed to enhance coordination and improve endurance.
Cognitive elements present problem-solving that requires strategy to participate in successful play and benefits early childhood cognitive development. Social and communicative elements present scenarios for children to interact, exchange ideas and build relationships. The play environment allows verbal and non-verbal children to share their imaginations and creativity through cooperative play. Sensory elements include the sights, sounds, and feel of the playground. These elements are the connections between the children and the play equipment, and they engage and strengthen visual, auditory, and tactile senses.
The vision for this much needed project has been initiated by and advocated for a number of parents in Abington Township. Commissioner Mike Thompson and Township Administration has been working with the families to create what will be the first park of its kind for our community. The project kicked off in July 2022 and was awarded to MECO Constructors, Inc. at the February 8, 2024 Board of Commissioner meeting. Construction is expected to start in the winter of 2024 with completion in September of 2025.
For more information on the project, you can click here.
In related news, construction to stabilize, naturalize, and improve the ecosystem’s function along Sandy Run Creek in Roychester Park and Grove Park began today. The work is being completed under the auspices of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
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Photo: nrpa.org