Increasingly, there is an emphasis on making playgrounds and community areas accessible to everyone regardless of age and abilities. Which is why the new inclusive playground at Block 337, Jurong East Ave 1, which caters to children with special needs as well as families, stands out in its mission. It was built by Jurong-Clementi Town Council after Mr Ang Wei Neng, Member of Parliament, and Adviser to Jurong GRC Grassroots Organisations, came across the Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD) centre at the block during one of his estate visits.
Previously, there were no playgrounds suitable for children with more severe and physical disabilities around this area. “Physical activities for them were mostly restricted to the gym and soft play room in our centre. On occasions, we organise trips to inclusive playgrounds at West Coast Park and Jurong Lake Gardens so that these children get a chance to play outdoors and learn in a community setting,” says an SPD spokesperson. However, such trips require a lot of logistical planning and at times, the centre has had to cancel these outings when the weather turned bad such as during the recent haze.
The new playground was built after consulting SPD on the features that would benefit children with special needs. For instance, ramps are useful for children with visual impairment as steps are challenging for them. “Support and safety belts on structures such as swings, rocking horse help to keep them safe as some of our children have weak muscles and require support in seating,” says the SPD spokesperson.
Featuring two Italian-made inclusive bright-coloured playsets comprising a sensory ramp with musical elements such as electronic saxophone and colourful drums, the playground also comes equipped with a twister slide and two other sectional slides, easy-access stairs and a high-backed special needs swing that incorporates a safety harness belt with snap buckles. Heavy duty interactive ship-like panels were also installed to provide children with a challenging, educational and engaging play experience.
To encourage more family participation at the playground, benches were also installed for them to rest while watching their children having fun. The Jurong-Clementi Town Council has also created several unique and practical bench artworks to attract parents, elderly and children to hang out together in the same recreational space. In particular, there is a special handcrafted concrete bench with textured surface at the back of the bench, which is made up of different shapes and materials to trigger the sense of touch. The multi-textured flooring near the bench also creates a visual appeal as it comprises mosaic tiles, non-skid chequered plate, pebble wash tile and artificial turfing.
SPD spokesperson says that children with restricted mobility are now motivated to move, walk and exercise their muscles in the playground as the modified equipment helps to build their confidence. “Children with social and emotional needs get to engage in physical play with peers. They also get to be in a community setting with passers-by watching them and other children in the neighbourhood sharing the same space with them,” adds the spokesperson.