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Tuesday, February
13th
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Field Trip to the
Magical Bridge Playground
Olenka
Villarreal, Jill Asher, and Jay Gluckman
Olenka
is the Founder of the Magical Bridge Playground |
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Abstract: Of the 34 existing
public parks in Palo Alto today, not one has been built with everyone’s
unique physical and cognitive needs in mind. Most of the playground designs are
similar and do not reflect the many different types of people living in the
community - those with autism, visual and hearing impairments, cognitive
challenges, and even older adults. The urgent need to create a playground that
would surpass ADA standards was the drive behind the vision for a new kind of
playground - one designed for everyone. The $4 million needed to create such a
place was raised privately in less than two years. Created by a team of
inclusion experts and located in Palo Alto’s Mitchell Park, the
Magical Bridge Playground broke
ground in June 2014. Now that it is completed, it is the nation's most
innovative inclusive playground.
Biosketch: With an undergraduate
degree from Pomona College and MBA from Golden Gate University, Olenka
Villarreal spent 18 years working with start-up and technology companies in
Silicon Valley. When her second daughter was born with disabilities in 2003,
she turned her focus on improving the quality of life of those with
disabilities. Olenka serves on the Board of Directors for the Palo Alto Unified
School District's Community Advisory Committee
for Special Education, on Life Services
Alternatives in San Jose, and is Vice President of
Friends of the Palo Alto Parks.
In June 2014, Olenka was presented with the prestigious Jefferson Service Award
in recognition of her efforts to make the Magical Bridge Playground a
reality.
- Contact
information:
- 650/380-1557
- Field Trip
Material:
- Map
& directions from Stanford
- Video - not available
- Photos - 2.17 Mb pdf file
- Links:
- New Playgrounds:
Morgan Hill -
Redwood City -
Sunnyvale
- "Kindness is Magical"
- Palo
Alto’s Magical Bridge Playground serves as model for other
cities
- Sunnyvale
to build an ‘all-abilities’ playground at Fair Oaks
Park
- All-Access
Play
- Jefferson
Award Winner Creates a Playground to Include Kids of All Abilities (with
video 3:06) - 07/09/2014
-
Ground Breaks on Magical Bridge Playground - 06/24/2014
- Palo
Alto breaks ground on Magical Bridge Playground - 06/23/2014
- Magical Bridge Playground on
Facebook
- Magical Laser Harp - video (0:52) by
artist, Jan Lewin
- Magical Harp at The Magical Bridge
Playground video 3:05
- Stepping Sounds -
George Zisiadis
- Building
a Magical Bridge for All Children - Bay Area Parent
- Magical Bridge Playground in Redwood
City
- Magical
Bridge Playground in Mountain View
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