Lafayette is anticipating a new all inclusive playground!
This new playground is located in Downtown Lafayette’s Parc Sans Souci in the area between the stage and the splash pad. Can you imagine having this playground as a tool to bring kids during the hot summer months to cool off in the splash pad and run wild at the playground? Or during Festival International, Bach Lunch or Downtown Alive? While Parc Sans Souci already serves as a hub for several activities downtown, the addition of an inclusive playground will make it the perfect kid-friendly spot all year long!
Here are some pictures of the new playground!
I contacted Anna-Laura with Downtown Lafayette to get some information about this new playground. Anna-Laura wrote, “For nearly four decades, our park networks have hosted notable events such as Downtown Alive!, Sno-Ball Festival, Holiday Art Market, and Festival International. Downtown Lafayette Unlimited and the Downtown Development Authority are committed to the future of our community and to making the downtown parks active, clean, and safe. As part of that commitment, the DDA and DLU are planning and fundraising for a playground in Parc Sans Souci in the area between the stage and the splash pad. We are working through spatial planning, safety measures, material considerations, maintenance planning, and flexibility for future playground expansion.”
So what exactly does all inclusive mean?
The surfacing of an all inclusive playground is important to consider as it must be able to accommodate wheelchairs and those using walkers with the ability of directly accessing the play structures. One of the proposed play structures is a merry-go-round carousel with direct access for a wheel chair yet still includes bench seating for typically abled individuals to simultaneously enjoy. Another proposed structure is a bird nest swing capable of holding several individuals, including adults! This will allow parents (or even grandparents!) to enjoy swinging with their children.
The Chappuis Family, a local family who lives within walking distance to Downtown Lafayette, stated it is important for typically abled children to play with and interact with children who have various disabilities. A community playground might be one of the only places they are able to interact with people of various abilities. The construction of this roughly 6,000-square foot outdoor play area will ensure that kids of all levels and abilities will be able to play in the parc and have access to equipment that allows them to strengthen their imaginations.
Downtown Lafayette Unlimited would also like to thank the Frayard Family, the William C. Schumacher Family Foundation, the Stuller Family Foundation, the Myers Family Foundation/LHC Group, and a host of other contributors for their investment and support toward placemaking in Downtown Lafayette through the Parc Sans Souci Playground Initiative.
