Disability Connection

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Located at the Bruce Ladner Memorial Park off Highway 53 in Gulfport, Harrison County’s first fully-accessible playground is open!

About the Disability Connection Community Playground: In 2012, Disability Connection recognized the need for a fully accessible playground for families in Harrison County. Through their efforts, a generous contribution by Kim Savant, District 2 Supervisor of Harrison County, and additional community friends, a completely accessible playground is now a reality for all. The Disability Connection Community Playground has a variety of specialized equipment designed for everyone to play, a lighted walking track, benches, accessible bathrooms, shade, and ample parking.

Specialized equipment includes: roller table (modified slide), single post swing with harness, fun panels especially designed for those autism, the omnispin spinner (a safe alternative to the merry-go-round), the oodle swing, and many more. This is truly a fully accessible playground, with equipment available for not only individuals with even the most significant disabilities, but also very small children who could not normally play safely on standard playground equipment.

“…We enthusiastically recommend…the Disability Connection Community Playground.” Phil Bryant, Governor of Mississippi.

“…your insistence for inclusivity and play value make (the Disability Connection Community Playground) the only playground in the state to include all of these fantastic inclusive and sensory components on one playground.” – Laurie Alley, President, Playscapes of Mississippi.

Two-year-old Amy Godber has Cerebral Palsy. Her mom, Debra, is thankful for such a great place, made especially for children like Amy.”It is difficult for the little ones and the special needs kids to play on normal playgrounds,” Debra Godber said. “So to have one that’s so accessible so close to home is wonderful.”

Nicole Ray says this is the most accessible playground she and her daughter, Lauren, have ever visited. “It is amazing, it’s absolutely amazing. She loved the swing,” Nicole Ray said. “Sometimes you’ll get somewhere and it’s accessible until you get to the equipment. And then it’s muddy and then you’re trying to off road and getting stuck in the mud. Here, you just wheel up and it’s very convenient.”

“Inclusive is for kids with all abilities, not just accessible. Accessible is just wheelchair accessible,” Max Maxwell explained. “But inclusive brings in all the kids with special needs disorders and regular kids.”

WLOX News on Community Playground