Kingston opens inclusive playground for children of all abilities

Kingston's inclusive play project has officially opened at Shannon Park, offering a space where children of all abilities can play side by side. The culmination of three years of planning and fundraising, which generated more than $1.5 million, marks a significant achievement for the community.

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It’s a pretty amazing thing … We’ve waited a really long time for this park to open

For families like Krystal Good's, the opening is a long-awaited moment. Her five-year-old daughter, who is non-verbal and has level three autism, can now enjoy the park without the barriers she has encountered elsewhere. Good highlighted the importance of the fenced-in play area, which provides a safe environment for her daughter, who tends to run off.

"I think this is the first time I’ve been able to go to a park and just enjoy watching her play," Good said. The park also features a communication board, enabling non-verbal children to express their needs. Good shared an instance where her daughter used the board to indicate she wanted to go home due to the park being busy.

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I think this is the first time I’ve been able to go to a park and just enjoy watching her play

City Coun. Brandon Tozzo noted the community's strong support for the project, describing it as a movement that grew over time. The playground includes rubber safety surfacing to cushion falls. While the official grand opening is scheduled for mid-September, the park is already making a positive impact on families like the Goods.

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She is an eloper, so it’s been really hard for us to find a park that has fencing, so it was important for us that there’s actually a fence here that’s safe from the road.

The project received support from private individuals, foundations, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, and the City of Kingston, which provided land and funding. The goal was to create a universally accessible space where every child feels included.

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She wanted to go home because it was very busy