Auburn’s Barrier Free Playground Receives $10,000 Donation from Employee Recycling Fund

Contact:
Daryl Faber, Parks, Arts & Recreation Director
253-931-3043
dfaber@auburnwa.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 2, 2010

AUBURN, Wash. - March 2, 2010 - The City of Auburn Parks, Arts & Recreation department received a $10,000 check from the Employee Recycling Fund to go towards the Barrier Free Playground project at Les Gove Park. The check was presented during a special ceremony at the Auburn City Council meeting on Monday, March 1.

“This is an exciting project that will allow children regardless of their mental and physical abilities to be able to play unconditionally with all children,” said Employee Recycling Program Board Member Tracy Ulmer. “My grandmother lived on 9th Street and I brought my children to this park many times and would have loved to spent time in such a well designed sensory park. I believe people will travel to Auburn to enjoy this facility from all over the Puget Sound,” Ulmer added.

The Employee Recycling Fund has been a gracious donor of Auburn’s programs over the past several years. They have also provided funding for the Rotary Spray Park at Les Gove Park, equipment bags for Auburn’s Special Olympic athletes, and a specialized recreation trailer to carry adaptive bicycles for Auburn Specialized Recreation Cycling Program.

Smiles, giggles, laughter and the dream of a playground accessible to all children is the vision of the Imagine Play for All task force working to raise $300,000 for a 32,000+ sq. ft., barrier-free playground and sensory garden at Les Gove Park in Auburn.

Barrier-free playgrounds are designed with the physical, sensory and developmental abilities of all children in mind – where children of all abilities can learn together through play, developing essential life skills. The unique features include universally accessible pathways and surfacing; play structures configured to support all levels of development; ramps, bridges and transfer stations; elevated sand tables, interactive walls, activity panels, and auditory elements; cozy spots where everyone can gather; swings and bouncers with back support; sensory-rich and tactile surfaces and activities that stimulate the imagination; and equipment that provides diverse play opportunities for all, including tunnels, waist-level play areas, and other barrier-free options. A barrier-free playground far surpasses the requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).

The new playground would replace a former play structure, originally installed in the 1960's that is not universally accessible and in need of an update.

“Often, children with disabilities are left to sit and watch their able-bodied friends and siblings play and sometimes, parents or grandparents with disabilities are unable to access the playground with their able-bodied children. We want to ensure everybody has the opportunity to play together at this new barrier-free playground,” said Linda Cowan, former Auburn School District Superintendent and task force member.

Funding of the Barrier Free Playground is over two-thirds complete, with over $209,000 raised in support of the project. In addition to this new $10,000 donation from the Employee Recycling Program, donations have also been received by individuals, corporations, granting agencies, foundations, and service clubs such as:

• $70,000 King County Youth Sports Facility grant
• $10,000 Rotary Club of Auburn
• $5,000 Muckleshoot Charity Grant
• $3,169 City of Auburn Employee Giving Campaign
• $2,500 Auburn Noon Lions Club
• $2,600 Auburn Youth Council
• $1,600 Soroptimist International of Auburn
• $2,305 individual donations
• $2,217 area businesses
• $1,439.37 students from the Auburn School District
• $1,000 Detlef Schrempf Foundation

Other donors include the Washington State Law Enforcement Association, Auburn Police Officers Association, Auburn Police Guild, Optimist Club of Auburn and the VFW White River Valley Post 1741.

Everyone is invited to participate in the Imagine Play for All campaign and the following donation levels are available to help fund the project: Playground Leadership Circle ($20,000+); Playground Best Friend ($12,500-$19,999); Playground Friend ($7,500-$12,499); Playground Buddy ($2,500-$7,499); Playground Pal ($500-$2,499); Playground Companion ($100-499); Playmate ($25-99). Different recognition benefits are offered in each funding category.

Donations can be made by corporations, businesses, foundations, or individuals and are being accepted by the City of Auburn’s non-profit 501(c)(3) community partner, the Northwest Parks Foundation. To make a gift to the Imagine Play for All campaign by credit card please visit NW Park’s secure web site at www.nwparks.org, choose “donate now”, and reference Auburn’s Imagine Play for All campaign. To make a donation by mail, please send a check to the Northwest Parks Foundation, c/o Auburn Imagine Play for All, PO Box 605, Woodinville, WA 98072-0605. Matching gifts are also encouraged.

For additional details about the project, please call the City of Auburn Parks, Arts & Recreation Department at 253-931-3043 or the Northwest Parks Foundation at 425-284-0420.

ABOUT THE EMPLOYEE RECYCLING PROGRAM
The Employee Recycling Program is a Washington state not-for-profit foundation that provides financial assistance for equipment and uniforms to people with disabilities for sports training. The Employee’s Recycling Program was started in 1974.

For more information on the Employee Recycling Program visit www.employee-recycling.org.

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