INCLUSIVITY: A NEW DESIGN STANDARD FOR PARKS

By:        Kenneth Keltai, RLA, LLA, ISA | Assistant Vice President & Landscape Architecture Practice Leader

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 27% of adults in the United States has some form of disability that impacts their mobility, cognition, hearing, vision, independent living, and/or capacity for self-care. The CDC has also reported that, between 2019 and 2021, the prevalence of developmental disability in children aged 3-17 increased from 7.4% to nearly 8.6%. Likewise, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows an increase in the number of Americans with disabilities from 11.7% in 2019 to 12.5% in 2023.

Given the dramatic increase in disability throughout the country, it is more imperative than ever that people of all ages can access recreational facilities like parks, beaches, and playgrounds regardless of disability. There are a number of ways to improve accessibility in these facilities, but the gold standard of design is shifting toward creating spaces that are not just accessible, but inclusive

Accessible vs. Inclusive Design

Accessibility in the United States is governed primarily by two laws: the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (ABA), which created accessibility requirements for facilities that receive federal funding or were built on federal land, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), a similar law which created accessibility requirements for a broader range of public accommodations and codified civil rights protections for people with disabilities along the same lines as protections based on race, sex, religion, or national origin.

Facilities that meet the guidelines provided by the ABA and ADA can be said to be accessible because individuals with disabilities can access and use them. However, even if facilities are designed with the goal of providing equal access, they may not provide an equal experience to all users. Designs which emphasize universal usability regardless of age or ability are inclusive.

One example of inclusive design is curb cuts: small slopes in the sidewalk that can be found at most major pedestrian-friendly intersections. Although these were originally designed in the wake of World War II to allow veterans with physical disabilities to more easily cross the street, they ultimately benefit everyone from mothers with strollers to the elderly to cyclists and skateboarders.

Put simply: accessible designs create separate accommodations for people with disabilities to use a facility and its services, whereas inclusive designs aim to meet the physical, social, and emotional needs of as many different people as possible such that separate accommodations are seldom even necessary.

Accessible Parks

Parks cannot be inclusive without also being accessible; this means that ensuring a baseline standard of accessibility is the first vital step in providing equitable usability for all park and playground visitors.

The U.S. Access Board (USAB), an independent federal agency originally formed in 1973 to ensure compliance with the ABA, has developed comprehensive design guidelines for creating accessible environments that meet ABA and/or ADA criteria or surpass them.

The USAB parks guidelines for playgrounds suggest including both ground-level and elevated play structures in designs and placing them along accessible routes. Children who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices should be able to access these structures via ramp or transfer station.

For, USAB recommends considering the width, slope, and surface uniformity of trails and other pathways, as steep inclines and large gaps can pose a danger to wheelchair users. Additionally, the USAB recommends that accessible parks have regular rest areas to allow trail users to take a break if needed. In the case of beaches, visitors should have access to the shoreline during high and low tide via beach access mats.

USAB’s robust and comprehensive guidelines can be incredibly valuable when designing all types of facilities for accessibility, but true inclusivity often requires thinking beyond mandates and regulations.

Inclusive Parks

One of the major differences between inclusive and accessible design is that the latter often focuses exclusively on remedying issues of mobility. Inclusive design takes physical disabilities into consideration, but goes even further by providing an environment in which people with a wide variety of needs thrive regardless of ability.

Inclusive design elements need not stand out, either, as they can be cleverly incorporated into the existing aesthetic. Access ramps, for example, can be decorated to serve as public art displays or outfitted with benches to serve as a seat wall. The inclusive design elements of a park and/or playground should serve multiple purposes, as it contributes to a more efficient use of space and reduces stigma toward people with disabilities who utilize these design elements.

Some examples of inclusive design on playgrounds and in parks are:

1. Nonverbal communication boards. Nonverbal communication boards (NVCBs) use a grid of images to allow nonspeaking children, such as children who are on the autism spectrum or hard of hearing, to communicate with their peers and caretakers by pointing to specific images on the board that represent feelings, needs, or physical objects. By using NVCBs, nonspeaking children can more effectively advocate for themselves and foster stronger interpersonal relationships with peers of all abilities.
2. Sensory equipment. Equipment that engages and stimulates the five senses can improve a child’s concentration, communication, and gross and fine motor skills, among other benefits. Furthermore, sensory equipment benefits children who engage in self-stimulation, a type of behavior common in people with autism and characterized by repetitive, autonomous body movements or sounds for the purpose of self-soothing, emotional regulation, or sensory regulation.
3. Quiet play areas. Children with autism spectrum disorder or other sensory processing issues may have a difficult time on traditional playgrounds. Inclusive designs can account for this by incorporating calm, quiet areas devoid of overstimulation. These spaces should be located as far away from major sources of noise, such as public rights-of-way, as possible.
4. Companion seating. Companion seating is common in venues such as movie theaters, concert halls, and sports stadiums. These venues typically have spots reserved for wheelchair users. Companion seating allows their friends and family to join them.
5. Uniformly accessible bathrooms. Bathrooms should be large enough to accommodate a 5-foot turning radius for wheelchairs and feature grab bars and amenities at a height that wheelchair users can reach. If bathrooms are segregated by gender, then changing rooms should be available in both men’s and women’s restrooms. In lieu of gendered bathrooms, inclusive design should include either single-occupancy or non-gendered group bathrooms with floor-to-ceiling walls and full-size doors to maintain privacy.

Inclusivity as the New Standard

Inclusive design operates on the principle that design choices that improve the lives of people with disabilities will ultimately improve the lives of everyone else, as was the case with the curb cut. Inclusive designs may require some added creativity, but experienced and dedicated architectural firms can develop designs that meet the universal needs of children and adults alike.

Inclusive design pays off in dividends, as it helps foster a greater sense of community, breaks down social barriers between those with disabilities and those without, and creates an environment that allows children to learn, grow, and thrive.