New All Abilities Playground Opens at Ogden’s Dinosaur Park
NEWS
The new All Abilities Playground at Ogden’s George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park undergoes final construction on Thursday, June 26. Photo by Deann Armes | The Ogdenite
A lot of conversation is buzzing about the new All Abilities Playground at Ogden’s George S Eccles Dinosaur Park. A grand re-opening celebration of the park is scheduled for Tuesday, July 1. The festivities begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Mayor of Ogden at 10 a.m., and the playground will be opened to the public at 10:30 a.m. The community can expect food trucks, tours, games, crafts, and more.
The playground itself has been completely redone. From the ground up, the park is attempting to make sure that this is a complete ADA-compliant playground. Even the mulch will be a new ADA-compliant material to enable wheelchair users to access the entire playground without difficulty. The mulch breaks down into a thick fiber that has the sponginess to ensure fall protection, but the thickness to ensure that wheels won’t sink.
Other features that will make a difference are ramps and surfacing to enable access to the whole playground, tactile elements for kids with sensory processing differences, supports on slides and swings for stability, and quiet spots for children who need a break from the noise. ADA-compliant tables are being installed, along with new lamps to illuminate the playground and surrounding paths. In addition to that, the paths that cover the 8-acre sculpture park are receiving a new coat of asphalt to ensure smooth paths for all abilities.
Left to right: Accessible swing with supports on the zip line, new park features, existing park dinosaur. Photos by Deann Armes | The Ogdenite
As for the old playground pieces, some of them have found new homes in the park and have received a new coat of paint.
More things are in the works for the Dinosaur Park this year, including the Pioneers of Paleontology event on July 24. As these programs build, staff emphasized the importance of community support to help build more projects like the new All Abilities Playground. This can be as simple as showing up for special events being held at the park, asking for tours, leaving reviews about the facility, and of course, donations.
The All Abilities Playground grand opening will be held Tuesday, July 1, at 10 a.m. at Ogden’s George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park located at 1544 Park Blvd. Admission is free for park members and $12 for the general public.