All posts tagged playgrounds

ADA Accessible Playgrounds in Gwinnett

By admin | July 7, 2010 | Handicap Accessible Playgrounds, Parks, Special Needs | No comments

Bogan Park has an ADA compliant and accessible playground. The surfacing is engineered wood fiber, which mats down so that wheelchairs can roll over it. There are concrete ramps which go into the surfacing somewhat like a boat ramp into a lake. This avoids having a lip (and bump) at the end of the sidewalk. The playgrounds include several activity panels suitable for handicapped children, such as drums, store front & hand cycler. Several bridges, climbers and slides can be accessed from transfer platforms. These are for children who can pull themselves out of their wheelchair and onto the deck.

In addition to Bogan Park, the county has handicap accessible playgrounds at Duncan Creek Park in Dacula and Peachtree Ridge Park in Suwanee, as well as Unity Place at Bay Creek Park, located in Loganville which is an award winning, fully accessible playground for special needs featuring a specialized rubberized surface, wheelchair friendly slides, swings and a handicapped accessible ball field.

Gwinnett County Parks & Recreation is also excited to announce that it will begin to offer a Therapeutic Recreation Program in Fall 2010. This will not replace the county’s Inclusion Based Programming, which continues to be extremely successful in the county’s Day Camp and class programming. But it will give citizens an option to choose which type of programming is best for their child or family member.

Please check the Gwinnett County Parks website for more information on this exciting program and specific information about each park.

The comments above were provided in response to a county resident and their need for ADA compliant and accessible playgrounds. I want to thank the county parks people for their quick and detailed response to the inquiry forwarded by me in regard to a reader’s question.

BOGAN PARK GETS NEW PLAYGROUNDS

By admin | December 19, 2009 | Parks, Playgrounds | 2 Comments

Three old playgrounds at Bogan Park will be replaced with new equipment and new safety surfaces over the coming months. Upgrades will include an improved retaining wall, better drainage, shade canopies and benches.

Commissioners awarded a contract for almost $270,000 to PlayCore Wisconsin, Inc., dba GameTime/Dominica Recreation of Longwood, FL. The money to pay for it will come from SPLOST. “This is a much-needed improvement and the funds were already designated for it through the 2005 SPLOST program,” said District 4 Commissioner Kevin Kenerly.

All three playgrounds will be ADA-accessible with engineered wood fiber surfacing and concrete ramps that attach to the surfaces similar to a boat ramp in a lake. The new equipment will feature several activity panels, drums and a hand cycler. Bridges, climbers and slides will also accessible from transfer platforms for children who are able to pull themselves out of a wheelchair and onto the playground deck.

Work will be phased so that one playground will always remain open, with all three playground renovations complete by spring 2010.

The 83-acre Bogan Park, at 2733 North Bogan Road near Buford, features an indoor aquatic center, double gym, ball fields and two miles of trails. Gwinnett County parks were named best in the nation last year by the National Recreation and Park Association.

NEW TRAIL ACCESS, PLAYGROUNDS COMING SOON TO BETHESDA AND RHODES JORDAN PARKS

By admin | November 17, 2009 | Playgrounds, Trails | No comments

There will soon be a new Ivy Creek Greenway access trail from Buford Drive/State Route 20 near the Mall of Georgia. The existing 2.7-mile long greenway trail starts at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center and ends near Gravel Springs Road. The 12-foot wide asphalt multi-purpose trail will be 960 feet long, running roughly parallel to the I-85 southbound exit ramp.

JHC Corporation was the lowest of five bidders at $221,600. The construction will include a retaining wall, paving, landscaping and guardrail. A small directional kiosk will be built where the trail intersects the existing sidewalk on Buford Drive.

Community Services Director Phil Hoskins said, “This new spur trail, funded by the 2005 SPLOST program, is part of a planned network of greenway trails throughout the county.” Work is expected to begin soon once the contract is signed.

The Board of Commissioners also approved new playgrounds for Bethesda Park and Rhodes Jordan Park. The playgrounds are located within the baseball complexes at both sites. The funding for these park improvements also comes from 2005 SPLOST revenues. Hasley Recreation and Design, Inc., received the $175,000 contract to remove and replace the two existing playgrounds.

111709_CS_IvyCreekGreenway_map

Little Mulberry Park

By admin | September 8, 2009 | Parks | 11 Comments

Opened officially in September 2004, Little Mulberry Park is one part of a major park-building program begun by the county a few years ago.

Phase one of the Little Mulberry Park encompasses 485 acres of the 890-acre park, and features five miles of trails including two one-mile paved multi-purpose trails, and a handicap-accessible trail around a pond.

The park has a combined multiuse/pedestrian trail experience which offers a 2-mile hike through a near old growth forest to unspoiled Table Rock Falls and then explores the adjacent river valley. Some long distance scenic views make the multiuse section of the trail pleasing. There are soft surface trails of equestrian and hiking. Equestrian trailer parking is located at 1300 Mineral Springs Rd., Dacula, GA 30019

Other amenities include a large rustic-looking picnic pavilion, two smaller picnic pavilions, restrooms. a playground, and an observation terrace at the peak of the West Meadow, which is one of the highest elevations in Gwinnett County.

The day my two boys and I visited was busy with park visitors. The larger pavilion was booked solid with families, families were biking and walking the pond trail, horse riders were out in the meadow and we took the 2-mile trail through the forest. The trail itself had many areas of stone steps (sometimes as many as 35-40), some of the paths were closed off and we were detoured around, but still had a great time. Later football and frisbie in the open area was part of the fun, including of course the playground for the five year old.