The Gathering Place: Inclusive Design for Everyone


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The Gathering Place is a new 100-acre park in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The $465-million park provides multiple features from a sport court, skate area, boating facilities, water features and large playground. The overall goal is to be an inclusive park no matter your racial, ethnic, economic or ability level. Tulsa was the site of the single-worst incident of racial violence in American history, with approximately 300 African American residents killed in a 1921 riot. The location of The Gathering Place is the middle of Tulsa's diverse neighborhoods. The intent is to provide a neutral location for residents of all backgrounds to intermingle and to get to know each other no matter their differences. The park was voted as the best new attraction in the United States by USA Today newspaper, but, more importantly, was recognized by Time Magazine and the top "100 Worlds Greatest Places" to experience in 2019.


Learning Objectives

Following this session, learners will be able to:

  1. Understand how the design and location of a park can be used as a place for people of all ages, economic levels, racial background, disability, etc. to enjoy and interact. 
  2. Understand how the use of Universal Design, can exceed accessibility standards and allow people with multiple or severe disabilities to enjoy an outdoor setting.

Mark Trieglaff

President, ACTServices, Inc.

Mark Trieglaff has a Bachelor Degree in Outdoor and Therapeutic Recreation and a Masters Degree in Park and Recreation Administration with a Therapeutic Recreation emphasis. He has been in the disability field for over 30 years starting as a Recreation Therapist at Northeast DuPage Special Recreation Association, Access Coordinator for People with Disabilities at Brookfield Zoo, Project Manager at LCM Architects that had a specialty in accessibility review and now President of Accessibility Consultation and Training Services, Inc. (ACTServices, Inc.) for the past 6 years. Mark is also a certified Wilderness Leader from the Wilderness Education Association started by Paul Petzoldt who also started the National Outdoor Leadership School.

The overall program at Brookfield Zoo was to provide adaptive educational programs for zoo guests with disabilities, provide access of exhibits and facilities, and provide effective communication through various means. The Brookfield Zoo access program won the Accessible Museum of the Year Award from the American Association of Museums in a National competition and featured on a CD called Universal Design Exemplars by the Center for Universal Design in an International competition.

At LCM, he involved in projects across the country. The projects included activities such as plan reviews, accessibility code interpretation, construction site reviews, transition plan development, reasonable accommodation recommendations, policy and procedure reviews, etc. He also participated in two Department of Justice lawsuits (College Square Mall in Cedar Falls, Iowa and the University of Chicago) and one Illinois States Attorney lawsuit (Walgreen Corporation).

Mark began Accessibility Consultation and Training Services, Inc. 2007 and has provided reviews of over 500 separate parks and facilities include the Chicago Park District, Park District of Oak Park and Elmhurst Park District to name a few.

He is presently providing training for the Michigan Recreation and Park Association members around the state to assist them with the development of their Transition Plans. These trainings will provide participants with the background in the ADA and the requirements of a Transition Plan as well as practical fieldwork to provide them hands on experience in how to take accurate measurements for their reports.

He has spoke extensively on Transition Plans and accessibility including presentations at the Illinois Park and Recreation Association, the Michigan Recreation and Park Association, the Florida Recreation and Park Association, the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, the American Association of Museums, American Therapeutic Recreation Association and the National Recreation and Park Association. He recently presented at the International Conference on Universal Design in Lund Sweden. The topic was the inclusion of Universal Design in a small park and playground in Woodridge Illinois.

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