Dec 9, 2024 - Things to Do
Renderings: Lafreniere Park's new playground
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The playground has two levels with multiple slides and climbing structures. Rendering: Courtesy of Jefferson Parish
Jefferson Parish officials are building a new playground in Lafreniere Park that is geared at being accessible to children of all abilities.
The big picture: The playground is replacing an older one across from the "Bob" Deviney Foundation Center.
- It's handicap-accessible, but it's not a handicap playground, Councilwoman Arita Bohannan said at the groundbreaking earlier this fall.
- "The important part of inclusionary play is that everyone of every ability, disability, height, weight, size, wheelchair can play in an inclusionary playground," she said.
Zoom in: The playground, called Tripp's Treehouse, has wheelchair-accessible ramps and play equipment.
- It has special slides that won't trigger cochlear implants, Bohannan told WWL.
- It also has a quiet cove for people who are on the autism spectrum or who have social or anxiety disorders, she said.
- The $1 million playground is being funding by the parish and through donations, WDSU reports.
Zoom out: Jefferson Parish's first inclusive playground opened in Kenner at Miguez Park.
- Bohannan spearheaded that effort too, which is named for her nephew with autism: Anthony's Missing Pieces Playground. Read more from Fox 8.
What's next: The playground is expected to open in the spring.
