No Fault partnered with Northland Recreation to provide our No Fault Safety Surface for the “Wadewitz Dream Big Playground” at Wadewitz Elementary School in Racine, Wisconsin. Wadewitz Elementary School is a large kindergarten through 5th grade school with more than 600 students in the Racine Unified School District. Because they have children who use wheelchairs and other children with different physical and developmental disabilities, they have a need for an inclusive playground. In fact, 22% of the school’s students have special needs. Their old playground was not accessible at all, almost 20 years old, and in very bad shape.
The Wadewitz playground committee was a small group of 7 teachers and staff members plus the principal. They had a “big dream” of making their playground an area where all students could play together. Northland Recreation started working with the school on planning its playground in September of 2016, and the committee never stopped their fundraising efforts.
Their hard work fundraising over the past few years combined with the generosity from the community made it possible for the dream of an inclusive playground to become a reality. To help control costs, the school decided on a community install. Northland Recreation sent several supervisors to help manage the week-long equipment installation. The community of Racine stepped up and put their construction skills to work assembling this large playground.
The total project was around 6,200 square feet and featured a bright green poured-in-place surface. Having the full rubber surfacing was an important part of making this playground accessible and welcoming to all the students. The No Fault Safety Surface is perfect for this inclusive playground since it’s slip-resistant, safe, and allows greater accessibility for wheelchairs and other mobility devices. The beautiful green color of the surfacing really complements the play equipment that was chosen. Beauty and safety combine to make a unique and attractive play space!
The new playground has two main areas. The first area is ramped up to 48” and features many inclusive components. It includes different sensory play panels and slides. This main structure is linked by the Little Tikes Commercial NRG Hoop Alley to a secondary area. This secondary structure features components that are a little taller and more challenging for the older children. In addition to the structures, there are many independent and ground level activities that are fun for everyone. Some of these include the revolution spinner, two of Little Tikes Commercials’ Concerto musical components, the wobble sphere, and more play panels.
Just like any other project, there was a tight timeline to get this playground area completed for the grand opening. With the cooperation of Mother Nature, the hard work of school volunteers, and the partnership between No Fault and Northland Recreation, we were able to pull it off. The public was elated at the grand opening celebration. The students and the community will enjoy this playground for years to come!
Lisa Johnson with Wadewitz Elementary School stated, “The Wadewitz Dream Big Playground has been a dream come true for our school and community. After years of hard work, it is so heart warming to see our kids smile and play with all of their peers.”
Contact us for more information on our No Fault Safety Surface. Our friendly account managers are ready to help you design the playground of your dreams. So dream big!
