Bend family questions C.O. playground accessibility

Bend and Redmond have nearly 50 playgrounds combined. Still, a Bend family says it’s hard to find places for handicapped children like their son to play.

Abel Klein is just like any other child. He loves to go outside and play with his friends.

Unlike most children, however, Abel was born with Type 1 spinal muscular atrophy. It’s a rare condition that affects one in 10,000 children. It leads to muscle weakness and muscle cell death.

” … (He has) the inability to support himself or walk. He needs help breathing, too, so he’s on the ventilator, ” said Jackie Klein, Abel’s mother.

According to SMA News Today, 68 percent of children with the disease die before their second birthday, while 82 percent die before they turn 4. Abel is now 4 1/2 and still going strong.

” He’s one of a kind, for sure, ” said Jakeb Klein, Abel’s father.

Jackie Klein added, ” We call him our million-dollar baby. ”

Abel’s parents want to make life as normal as possible for their son. That includes taking him to playgrounds to enjoy the outdoors.

But they say there are limited options in Central Oregon for kids like Abel.

“Even when they say its inclusive, or adapted, or accessible, most of the time they’re not really for us,” Jackie Klein said.

The 29th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act is on Friday. It specifically requires “each service, program or activity conducted by a public entity, when viewed in its entirety, be readily accessible to, and usable by, individuals with disabilities.”

Essentially, an accessible playground is one that offers a range of play experiences to children of all abilities. That does not mean that each and every feature or event must be usable by every child. For example, if a playground has two or more swings, it’s considered accessible if children with disabilities can use at least one of those swings.

Abel’s is a special case, though.

“We can’t take him out of his chair and put him in a swing,” Jackie Klein said. “Even if it’s an adapted swing, we can’t do that.”

The Kleins said they travel from Bend to Redmond any time they want to use a playground.

“Compared to Bend, Redmond is a fairly smaller town,” Jakeb Klein said. “But they seem to have it figured out — and Bend doesn’t.”

The Hope Playground at Sam Johnson Park in Redmond has wheelchair-accessible surfacing, ramps and even a brand-new merry-go-round.

Still, city officials see room for improvement. Redmond grades its playgrounds based on how well they meet or exceed ADA standards. A score of “1” is good, a “2” is fair and a “3” is poor. Redmond has 10 playgrounds, and only four of them received a score of “1.”

“Funding is a big issue,” said Annie McVay , Redmond’s Parks Division manager. “A lot of these elements are not cheap.”

Redmond just got a big assist in that area. The city recently won an online contest with the Portland Trail Blazers’ Moda Assist Program. I t plans on turning Baker Park into an all-abilities playground. The project will likely be completed in October.

McVay said parents with disabled children helped with the concept.

“Just including them in the conversations when you’re designing a park, because sometimes the smallest little thing can be a huge barrier you didn’t even think about,” McVay said.

That’s exactly what inspired change in Bend, too. The Bend Park and Rec District is spending more than $11 million on the new Alpenglow Park in southeast Bend, which officials expect will be ready by 2022.

All of the features in the playground will be ground-level. Officials said certain elements, like sensory and musical equipment, are a direct result of a conversation between the project designer and Jackie Klein last October.

“We want to be able to have something for everybody in the community,” said Don Horton, the park district’s executive director. “Whether it’s a playground or if it’s someone that’s involved in our program, we want to be able to work with those individuals, so they can participate like everybody else.”

Abel got his name before knowledge of his condition, but it could not be more fitting. The future of Central Oregon playgrounds just may confirm that.

Officials from both cities encourage you to contact them if you have any park problems or suggestions. Call (541) 548-7275 to contact the Redmond Parks Division or call (541) 389-7275 to get in touch with the Bend Park and Recreation District.