The first fully inclusive playground in the Antelope Valley in Los Angeles County features full, accessible rubber surfacing and activities accessible to children of all abilities.

Not all parks are the same and not all playgrounds are accessible to all. Fortunately, a growing number of park and recreation agencies are creating more inclusive parks and playgrounds. Most recently, the city of Palmdale dedicated and opened Courtney’s Playground at Marie Kerr Park. The 1,834-square-foot playground and 574-square-foot music area were designed with the assistance of Greg and Joanne Triana, who approached the city about two years ago about doing something to honor their late daughter, Courtney Ann Triana. A dedication sign on the playground features images of butterflies and a bird and photos of Courtney.
The playground offers the following amenities:
- Full, Accessible Rubber Surfacing. Resilient, unitary surfacing flush to the surrounding grade provides accessible routes of travel throughout every area of the play space.
- Ramped Structure. Ramps increase usability for people of all ages and abilities and allow individuals utilizing mobility device physical access to meaningful play.
- Rock N Raft. This unique play feature ensures individuals using mobility devices can enjoy a sensory-rich rocking experience with family and friends.
- Inclusive Whirl. Universally designed with zero-entry to support cooperative and social play.
- Musical instruments. Music offers developmentally appropriate opportunities for intergenerational users to express their creativity and contribute to the sounds of the environment.
To learn more about the playground, please read the source article and information on the city's website.
FULL STORY: Courtney’s Playground opens at Marie Kerr Park

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

Can We Please Give Communities the Design They Deserve?
Often an afterthought, graphic design impacts everything from how we navigate a city to how we feel about it. One designer argues: the people deserve better.

Engineers Gave America's Roads an Almost Failing Grade — Why Aren't We Fixing Them?
With over a trillion dollars spent on roads that are still falling apart, advocates propose a new “fix it first” framework.

The European Cities That Love E-Scooters — And Those That Don’t
Where they're working, where they're banned, and where they're just as annoying the tourists that use them.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)