(274) What Makes a Park Inclusive to All Users? Connecting the Dots for Everyone’s Whole Park Enjoyment

Ensuring park facilities are accessible and inclusive to everyone takes planning and an understanding of minimum design requirements. Creating accessible features are a great start, but if they aren’t connected by infrastructure, accessible site furnishings, and community assets that follow the same principles, the resulting participation will not be integrated and may not be successful. Join Bill, who was part of the team that developed the recreational facility requirements in the ADA Guidelines and spent 20+ years on staff at the US Access Board as he discusses whole park accessibility and shares insight from park users with disabilities on improving the overall experience.

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the importance of continuous inclusive design throughout recreation environments.
2. List at least three common challenges faced by people with disabilities that are often overlooked in park design.
3. Summarize steps to be taken when designing a fully inclusive park to ensure successful implementation.