Credit: Middletown Township
Middletown Township officials cut the ribbon on a newly-overhauled park, one that has an inclusive playground for kids of all abilities.
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On Wednesday afternoon, residents jointed with township and county officials to officially open the new playground at Cobalt Ridge Park.
The new playground many staples, including slides. It also has many inclusive features, including wheelchair access, solitude seats designed for children on the autism spectrum, a music feature, expression swings with adaptive seating for adults and children to sit face-to-face, and new benches and trash cans.
“The Cobalt Ridge Park Playground design checks all seven principles of inclusive play that qualifies it as a National Demonstration Site for Inclusion. This means that the playground illustrates community vitality across a variety of influences, including social-emotional, environmental, health, community engagement, public services, and educational opportunities,” a statement from the township said.
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The new inclusive playground is one of only a few in the region families with special needs can easily use.
“We are pleased to expand our inclusive parks for residents with varying abilities,” Middletown Township Board of Supervisors Chairperson Mike Ksiazek said. “It is part of our vision to continue to offer recreation spaces that are accessible to everyone in the community”.
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“I grew up in cobalt just a few houses away from the park, so I’m excited that kids of all abilities will be able to play, learn to socialize, and interact with their environment,” said Middletown Township Board of Supervisors Vice Chairperson Anna Payne.
The Middletown Township Public Works Department began work on the playground in June.
Earlier this year, the supervisors approved spending $235,000 with Marturano Recreation Company, of Spring Lake, New Jersey to purchase and install the playground equipment.
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The old playground equipment was installed in 2005.
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