The Lower Merion School District is considering installing inclusive playgrounds following a push from Ardmore mother Sana Garner, whose son, Apollo, has cerebral palsy, writes Maddie Hann for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Garner toured Lower Merion’s elementary schools before deciding where to enroll her 5-year-old – who uses a wheelchair and gait trainer – for kindergarten. She observed that the playground at his designated school had woodchips that were inaccessible for rolling mobility devices. This issue was consistent across nearly all of the district’s 14 playgrounds.
“I made a video where I was basically crying – ‘This is breaking my heart. My child can’t play; he’ll be separated,’” said Garner.
She mobilized other parents, and together, they urged Lower Merion’s school board to make elementary school playgrounds fully accessible by leveling surfaces and updating structures to include ramps, ensuring all children can use the equipment.
Now, Lower Merion School District is working on a proposal request for a “comprehensive study” of its existing playgrounds and “designs and associated construction costs for inclusive playgrounds,” said spokesperson Amy Buckman. “That information is needed so the board can properly consider budgeting for the construction of such facilities.”
Read more about the Lower Merion School District in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
