Fun for All Playground

at Central Park

CITY OF COLLEGE STATIONHome of Texas A&M University®

Fun for All Playground

at Central Park

2 3FunForAllPlaygroundBCS.com

OVERVIEW

PO Box 9745 | College Station, TX 77842

I n 2 013 , t h e Ro t a r y C l u b o f C o l l e g e S t a t i o n approached the city with an inspired project idea – an inclusive playground for children with special needs.

Since several rotary club members work in Texas A&M’s College of Architecture, they also thought the project would be ideal for their landscape architecture students. The College Station Noon Lions Club soon joined the effort, which then inspired the College Station Kiwanis to come on board.

The city’s population recently surpassed 100,000, and the special needs community continues to grow as well. The College Station Independent School District alone has 1,435 students with various disabilities, but no “play for all” parks or playgrounds exist within the seven-county region encompassed by the Brazos Valley Council of Governments.

In consultation with College Station Parks and Recreation, the landscape architecture students completed conceptual designs in the fall of 2013. The students studied existing inclusive playgrounds in Texas, other states, England and Australia. They identified a two-acre site at Central Park as the best location due to ease of access, existing amenities, available space, available parkland dedication funds and visibility. In 2014, the best ideas from the initial conceptual designs were combined to produce a single, refined, playground master plan.

Called the “Fun for All Playground” at Central Park, the project will provide a safe atmosphere for special needs individuals and is designed to have a long life with low maintenance. The playground will serve various ability levels while incorporating educational aspects and challenges to spark imagination and enhance quality of life. Amenities include chair swings and specially designed slides for persons with limited mobility, sensory items for those with Autism, a splashpad, nature trails, multi-sport court, gardens, and interactive elements to encourage social play.

Please feel free to contact the Fun for All Playground committee at FunForAllPlayground@gmail.com for more information on how you may be able to help with or be a part of this unique project.

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DESIGN PROGRAMMISSION STATEMENT

The Fun For All Playground at Central Park will create a destination playground for persons of all abilities to serve the City of College Station and surrounding communities. Drawn from research, the design of the playground is based on the promotion of physical and cognitive development in children through play. The playground will integrate activities and facilities that include both active and free/inventive play areas for ages 2-5 and 5-12, as well as facilities for teen and adult participants. Using nature-based themes, the playground will encourage exploration and learning of the natural world with age-appropriate challenges of all physical and cognitive abilities within this safe and family-friendly place.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Goal 1. Foster Child Development through Play• Create attractive and appealing play

environment• Integrate learning with play• Design activities, programs, and play areas for

children of differing age groups• Provide three dimension play experiences• Create an environment with high levels of

diversity choices• Offer children free, unrestrained, spontaneous

play experiences• Tie with nature

Goal 2. Create A Family-Friendly Destination• Provide activities, programs, facilities for all

family members, age groups, and abilities• Create a unique natural environment and play

structures to attract families• Install equipment, paving, and facilities that

enable learning, play and multi-generational involvement

Goal 3. Provide Universal Access• Consider the dimension, size and materials of

all equipment, paving and facilities beyond basic ADA requirements

• Provide a clear way-finding and park information system

• Provide numerous supervising places for parents

Goal 4. Create Park Identity• Provide wayfinding & donor information

throughout the playground• Include programmed activities in the

playground (Christmas in the park, other celebrations, educational events etc.)

• Showcase the importance and effects of nature, and the facilities and measures to ensure that this park is universally accessible

Goal 5. Ensure Safety and Security• Create a continuous enclosure of the

playground using high quality fencing and double gates

• Design separation in play areas for children of different ages to avoid conflicts

• Provide clear visual access throughout the playground

• Separate pedestrian and bicyclists from play areas

• Meet all local and state laws and requirements

Goal 6. Apply Low Impact Development• Utilize LID techniques for water• Change landform to improve drainage• Utilize existing pond as a retention facility

and a water resource for irrigation• Use native planting and stone materials

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MASTER PLAN

LEGEND01. Water Play Zone02. Seasonal Event Plaza03. Entrance and Donor Plaza04. Veterans Fitness Area05. Age 2-5 Play Area06. Age 5-12 Play Area07. Quiet Play Refuge08. Forest Boardwalk with Seating09. Multi-Sports/Performance Stadium10. Swing Space11. Water Play Pumphouse12. Tensile Shade Structure13. Nature Play14. Sensory Garden15. Pond Edge Demonstration Deck16. Existing Trees17. New Section of Walkway18. Relocated Park Signage

8 9Email: FunForAllPlayground@gmail.comPO Box 9754 | College Station, TX 778428 9FunForAllPlaygroundBCS.comPO Box 9745 | College Station, TX 77842

PERSPECTIVE

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DONATIONSThe “Fun for all Playground” is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization as defined by the IRS. No goods or services are provided in exchange for this contribution.

MORE INFORMATIONPO Box 9745College Station, TX 77842FunForAllPlayground@gmail.com

DONOR LEVELS$250,000+ Welcome & Donor Plaza naming rights available$100,000+ Donor recognition with naming rights available at one of the 15 zones$75,000+ Platinum Donor recognition on Donor Wall$50,000+ Gold Donor recognition on Donor Wall$25,000+ Silver Donor recognition on Donor Wall$10,000+ Bronze Donor recognition on Donor Wall$1,000+ Park Fellow, minimum level for individual recognition on Donor Wall$1+ Donation will be recognized as “Citizens in Support of” on Donor Wall