The Mayor of Guadalajara, Ana Guarinos, has today presented the first 100% inclusive children’s play area in Guadalajara; located in the Adoratrices Park, which is already open for use and was inaugurated this morning by a group of students from the special education school «Virgen del Amparo».
«This inclusive playground responds to a demand of almost a decade from families with children with disabilities or different abilities, whether physical, mental, or learning, because their children also have the right to play all the games in the park, just like the rest of the children, and with all the children, because it is about integrating and not excluding,» the Mayor stated in front of representatives of associations and entities working in this area, such as Nipace, Cofemce, Down Syndrome Association, My Voice for Your Smile, Adace, and ADHD Association Guadalajara.
Accompanied by the Councilor for Parks and Gardens, José Luis Alguacil, as well as the officials responsible for Social Welfare, Childhood, and Infrastructure, Eva Henche, Roberto Narro, and Santiago López, the Mayor detailed the characteristics of the new facilities to associations and families, which have required an investment of around 200,000 euros.
«The Adoratrices Park was chosen for the inclusive play area because it has no slopes, being almost flat, and is very accessible as a whole, in addition to being central and a green lung of the city,» the Mayor added.
The inclusive children’s play area features a fully accessible carousel where children can enter with their wheelchairs, an accessible market-house with intercoms, a horizontal slide, and a shared basket swing, as well as other ground-level play areas such as tic-tac-toe or hopscotch, which are accessible and have sensory stimulations suitable for children from six months to twelve years, promoting limitless play and ensuring inclusivity.
«I hope and wish that the little ones can enjoy this beautiful park because the right to play and integration cannot be mere words, but must become a reality,» concluded the Mayor.
The Councilor for Parks and Gardens noted that the play elements had to be imported from the United States, from a company specializing in inclusive games, «with the advice of associations and families, as there are hardly any facilities of this kind in Spain.»
Alguacil explained that all new children’s play areas always include some inclusive games, as required by regulations, with the municipal commitment to exceed the minimum requirements, «so that in the two new areas already operational, in the Sanchica Park and the Juncos Park in Aguas Vivas, it is already planned that 50% of the play elements are inclusive.»
Representatives from various associations and families who attended the presentation unanimously expressed their gratitude to the Guadalajara City Council for implementing this initiative, «which is the beginning for Guadalajara to become a 100% inclusive city,» they stated.
The joy of the day was brought by the students from the special education school «Virgen del Amparo», who tested each and every one of the elements, sharing a morning of inclusive play.
