IRVINE : It’s Playtime for All at Playground

Heritage Park dedicated a playground designed for both disabled and non-disabled children Thursday morning.

The playground took more than 10 years to build, said John Condon, a community services program coordinator.

It includes a wheelchair-accessible sandbox, a swing set operable with only upper body strength and slides with handrails to assist children with limited mobility, as well as a garden with bright colors and many plants that is designed to be a sensory experience for children with visual difficulties.

“We wanted to break down the barriers that exist for persons with disabilities and provide them with the same opportunities everyone else has,” Condon said. “This is something that everyone can use and enjoy together.”

Over 100 people attended the dedication, including disabled students from Meadow Park, Alderwood and Culverdale elementary schools in Irvine. Non-disabled children were also present with their parents.

Speeches and ribbon-cutting ceremonies accompanied the playground’s opening, but the children did not appear interested in the adult activities, Condon said.

“The kids were out there the whole time,” he said. “They didn’t want to hear anyone talk. They just wanted to play.”