‘It’s a lot of fun, and it’s amazing’: New inclusive playground opens in Eagan

In Eagan’s Woodhaven Park, a new, accessible playground is getting rave reviews.

It’s called "Destination All Play."

"Yeah, it’s a lot of fun, and it’s amazing," said Eagan resident Anna Kimmel, who uses a power chair to get around.

City officials say the $2 million playground is the largest of its kind in the metro.

"The fun part is when you watch a kid play, you’ll see where they gravitate," said Jay Webber, the designer. "The Americans with Disabilities Act has a law out there that governs how we design, but we actually go farther than that."

There is wheelchair access almost everywhere. Studded ramps take you smoothly from the parking lot to the playground itself. Raised play areas — normally a barrier for kids with disabilities — have ramps of their own.

"There are kids I’ve witnessed in wheelchairs that watch their friends and aren’t able to participate," said Sarah Bertram of Apple Valley. "So this is a really beautiful thing."

There are basketball hoops of almost every height and a pulley ride that has a special strap-in chair that makes it accessible for everyone.

"It’s a safe, accessible place space," Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire said. "You can play a melody or play a bank shot, do anything you want in here."

And then there’s the specially made rubber ground covering designed to prevent injuries from falls.

"The number used to be 80-85% of all injuries from falls off of the playground," Webber said. "If there’s not adequate surfacing under the play equipment, you’re going to find more injuries."

Kimmel said the cushioned surface and enhanced access to a number of play areas are major pluses for her and her family.

"And on some of them I can go, like there’s a ramp that kind of winds around," she said. "Some of these, they’re just tall enough that I can drive on some of these structures with my wheelchair."

Kimmel said she and her mom, Angie, are planning to bring her 7-year-old niece.

"Anna can access most of those places, even if she ends up on the bridge (a raised play area) with her," Angie Kimmel said. "My niece thinks she’s playing with Anna, and she is playing with Anna."

Even with the recent heat wave, plastic and rubber materials keep the playground cool. Slides and seats are pastel-colored to keep them from getting too hot to the touch. The cushioned ground areas are tan-colored, cooler than say, green or black.

"I think this is wonderful," Bertram said. "We’ve been looking for something accessible in this area for a long time."

There are touch panels that make animal sounds that allow her 5-year-old son, Matthew, who’s been blind since birth, to learn and grow.

She likes the safety of the playground, too.

"So, we’re really drawn to the sound, which is a really neat piece to this park," Bertram explained. "So his balance isn’t very good … he would fall at certain playgrounds with wood chips and sand and gravel, so something that flat like this is great for him."

A place for all kids and their families.

"Being able to interact with your child is something, especially if your child has a disability," Angie Kimmel said. "There’s all these sensory things."

If you listen closely, you’ll almost hear the wonderful sound of the summer: children, laughing and playing.

"All the kids in the community now have one place they can come," Webber said. "Regardless of whether they’ve got mobility issues, sensory issues, or are able bodied kids to be able to come and play together in one place."