ARISE Fully-Accessible Playground
Playground For All Complete!
We are so excited to announce that our brand new, fully-accessible playground at ARISE at the Farm is complete and ready for play! We are so incredibly grateful to everyone who help make this dream a reality.
Check out this video created by the Central New York Community Foundation, one of our Partners In Play:
In Our Own Words: Why This Playground Matters
As parents of children who participate in programs at ARISE at the Farm, we’ve seen the difference the Farm has made on our children. You can only imagine the chills we felt when Emma sat up for the first time on the horse, or, when Gavin developed strength so that he could hold his head up by himself longer. Our families’ stories are not unique, and we know that many other families hold similar moments in their hearts as well.
When we first learned about the playground project, we thought it was very interesting. When we saw the initial plans and realized what it would mean for our kids, we became ecstatic! As parents of children who use wheelchairs, we are constantly seeking experiences that are fully available to them. So often we are in places where our child can do one or two activities while other kids are running around from one thing to another.
The Farm means so much to our families and this playground will impact local kids and their families for decades to come.
-BrandiLee Schafran (Gavin’s Mom) and Casey Wink (Emma’s Mom)
Playground Park Features
- Fully Rubberized Surface – Because all kids should be able to move about & play independently, regardless of how they get around.
- Fully Ramped Playground with Multiple Points of Entry – Because every part of the playground should be accessible to all!
- Play Equipment for Kids of All Ages & Abilities – Because every child should be able to participate. There are slides, tunnels, and swings (lots of swings!)
- Family Picnic Area – Because parents need a place to rest after 50 rounds on the slide!
Our dream became a reality!
We believe that all people, regardless of disability, have a right to live a full life. That includes recreation, adventure, and fun! All too often, children with disabilities watch as others have fun at a playground. Parents yearn for places where all of their children can participate.
ARISE at the Farm, our 77-acre recreation and education center in Chittenango, is that unique place where every person feels accepted, welcome, and safe. Hundreds of children with all kinds of disabilities and typical kids, as well as adults of all abilities, take part in horseback riding, cart driving, fishing, and cycling around our paved track.
Our dream was to offer a place in Madison County where children of all abilities can come together and have a place to play. This accessible playground now makes it possible for all kids, and their families, to play together.
Our playground is unique in that the entire surface is poured rubber, making it possible for kids who use wheelchairs to move and play independently. And so can grandparents who use walkers. Our playground has the most durable state of the art equipment, offering outstanding movement and sensory experiences.
Naming opportunities for some specific pieces of playground equipment are available. To learn more, contact Nancy Kern Eaton at 671-2903 or neaton@ariseinc.org.
Thank you for joining us in creating a fully accessible playground where children of all abilities and their families can share in the joy of play together!
Our Partners in Play:
- Anonymous
- Bottar Leone, PLLC
- Allyn Foundation
- NBT Bank
- Central New York Community Foundation
- Gorman Foundation
- Dorothy & Marshall M. Reisman Foundation
- Snow Foundation
- Boeheim Foundation
- Wegmans
- Lockheed Martin Employees Federated Fund
- Tania S. Anderson
- J.W. Burns & Company Investment Counsel