Melissa Grassmick advocated for an accessible and inclusive playground where all kids can play together
Melissa Grassmick and her family were at a playground in the City of West Kelowna one day in October 2021 and the two parents were discussing a small tripping hazard on the playground which posed a barrier for their daughter Julia.
Julia, now 10, sustained a spinal cord injury (SCI) when she was just a toddler. She now uses a wheelchair as a mobility device.
Their conversation was around the ability for Julia to independently be able to play in the playground. By chance, a West Kelowna parks staff overheard them and asked about the barrier. Recognizing the importance of this conversation, he called in his supervisor to learn more about accessibility in playgrounds.
“We started talking about general accessibility,” Melissa explained. “We had a great talk about playgrounds and how there wasn't a single playground, at the time, that was accessible to kids like Julia.”
This conversation set off a chain of events that had Melissa advocating to design and build an accessible and inclusive playground – Julia's Junction – the first in West Kelowna.
Learning about inclusive play
The parks employee connected Melissa to the (then) Parks Manager at the city, and with this momentum also began to research similar projects, other mothers and members of the community who had tackled something like this before.
“The Parks Manager, Stacey Harding, was crucial to the project being successful,” Melissa explained. “It takes a special person on the municipal side to hear the concept and the vision and share in the excitement and recognize the need.”
Next, Melissa was connected to PlayWorld, a company that manufactures playground equipment.
“I worked with a representative there to really dig into why we want to do this and why each individual design feature matters,” Melissa explained. “Different features are important for different kids. There’s no child left behind when you create a playground for all kids.”
From there, Melissa was able to work on an initial design, budget, and high-level funding options to present to the city council in January 2022.
The proposal was unanimously approved by the city.
Building the playground
The most important part of building this playground for Melissa was to make sure that this was a playground for all kids.
“I didn't want there to be any reason for any family not to be able to visit,” Melissa explained. “I didn't want people to drive by and say, ‘that’s the wheelchair playground’. I wanted people to say, ‘that’s the most fun playground’.”
Melissa worked to create a planning committee of other parents of children with disabilities, local physiotherapists, director of a local adaptive adventures organization, sport organizations in the Okanagan, and others. Melissa wanted to ensure voices were being heard so they could build the most inclusive playground possible.
She also, of course, included both Julia, and her son Tanner, age five, who has autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and has different accessibility needs.
Melissa worked hard with the team to incorporate elements that allowed kids of all abilities to enjoy the space and interact with one another.
"It's quite a fine balance,” Melissa explained. “We had a custom structure made to make sure there weren't as many ramps, but ground based equipment with unitary surfacing, so everyone with or without a mobility device can access the same equipment.”
Meaningful access was really considered when building this playground. Understanding how a child uses the equipment.
For example, creating stairs to the top of a slide that have lower rise, so someone with a physical disability can still get up to the top using their upper body strength, and having the bottom of the slide right next to where they left their wheelchair, allowing for an easy transfer. This would allow a child to be able to use the slide circuit independently.
Some of the other features include a sensory rich design that allows for kids to experience music, swing, slide or spin; a fully fenced perimeter; accessible parking; and access to water and washrooms.
Julia’s Junction opens its gates
In 2023, the playground was opened to the public. The team hosted a grand opening with over 500 people. Melissa explained that it has been really well received and every time she is there with Julia or Tanner, she sees and hears other families enjoying the space.
“Even aside from the accessibility part of it, West Kelowna didn’t have a large community hub playground,” Melissa explained. “The location is at the same location as splash park – so it's all one large gathering space.”
Melissa continues to advocate for accessibility in her life and career.
“We have been on this journey now for ten years, since Julia’s SCI. This is a way I can give back,” Melissa explained. “I’m part of the Accessibility Advisory Committee for our municipality and the regional library, and I am also consulting on accessible playgrounds for others. It’s a way I can help ensure everyone has equal access.”
