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Thursday, February
18th
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Field Trip to the
Magical Bridge Playground
Olenka
Villarreal
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
- Lecture Material:
- Map &
directions from Stanford
- Video - 28:43
- Photos - 2.46 Mb pdf file
- Links:
- 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
- Building
a Magical Bridge for All Children - Bay Area Parent
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