YOUR FORUM FOR PLAY, SPORTS UND LEISURE AREAS
"A lively meeting place.” With financial support from the regional association LEADER-Region 3-Länder-Eck e. V., the committed association Kinderzuhause Burbach e. V. created an attractive, cross-generational, barrier-free action park, which at the same time serves as a lively meeting place in the midst of Burbach.
The barrier-free multi-generation playground "Treffpunkt Leben" in Burbach, which is freely accessible to the public, is a meeting place for young and old people with and without disabilities. The formerly unused area of overgrown bushes, tall grass and impassable embankments has been transformed into an active park of around 1,200 square metres, which includes several barrier-free and varied playground facilities and leisure opportunities.
Conscious inclusion and participation - this is what the work at Burgweg House is based on. Ensuring, maintaining and promoting quality of life for the 28 residents who live here and whose participation in normal life is severely impaired due to their serious physical, mental and psychological disabilities. However, this is also the goal of the Kinderzuhause association. The creation of a lively meeting point. Under this appropriate name, a project that invites residents to get together with Burbach citizens and volunteers, with senior citizens from a nearby dementia centre and a retirement home as well as children from a neighbouring kindergarten, has now become reality. "Leader projects are characterised by the Leader idea of inclusion, future versions and the togetherness of all generations," emphasised Andreas Pletziger, Head of Department at the Arnsberg district government.
"One day it became clear that we wanted to create something essential in the spirit of this association. Something that brings the residents of the house and the citizens of the village together," Mayor Christoph Ewers explained the idea for the redesign of the site at the opening ceremony.
Falk Heinrichs, chairman of the Kinderzuhause association, was very pleased about the completion and the concept of the playground: "Active inclusion has a name: Treffpunkt Leben. It is here, where a publicly accessible meeting place has been created, which connects people with and without disabilities, children and adults, families and senior citizens in the best possible way. It is here, where neighbours, friends and visitors can get in contact with the 28 residents of this Bethel facility, engage in conversation, play together and experience new opportunities for physical activity."
Roswitha Still, chairperson of the regional LEADER association, emphasised the exemplary character of the new leisure and recreation facility, which reflects the LEADER idea in an intensive way. "The Treffpunkt Leben is a concern of citizens, for citizens - and enhances our region with a wonderful meeting place! A concern from the citizenry - for the citizenry."
A large part of the playground was financed from funds of the Leader region "3-Länder-Eck". Bethel regional manager Anja Hillebrand also emphasised the great importance of the playground for the residents of Burgweg House. This is a meeting place which provides the residents with an important opportunity to get in touch with people without impairments.
The multigenerational square
A total of 13 different play and activity stations from the company Proludic GmbH offer a variety of play and sports activities for everyone, embedded in a harmonious overall concept of paths, green spaces and a roofed picnic corner. The sloping terrain was given terraced plateaus on which even wheelchair users and senior citizens can move around without much effort.
Moreover, an innovative colour concept was implemented. The natural green of the plants and trees, the playground equipment designed in many colours and the yellow sun sail over the wooden seating area at the upper end of the park create a friendly atmosphere.
The planning of the multigenerational playground was carried out by the Laufenburg planning office, which, together with the association Kinderzuhause Burbach, selected the company Proludic as their supplier for the individual play equipment.
In addition to the right choice of equipment, the existing topography posed major challenges for the barrier-free planning. For this purpose, the area was raised in the lower section and the ground in the upper section was removed in order to obtain the largest and flattest possible floor space.
Different levels were connected via ramps and playground equipment to create a playful transition. The development of the combined play facility represents a central element in the concept regarding the play and pathway connection. The two barrier-free access ramps were adapted to the terrain and the routing so that children in wheelchairs are enabled to access the site independently. Many different sensory play boards offer varied leisure and physical activity opportunities. A telescope and special glasses provide the children with various optical experiences. In addition, they can climb on a climbing wall and reach the highest platform via the climbing net. From there, the fastest way down is by slide.
Right next to it, the children will discover the fun of physical activity and speed and have the opportunity to improve their balance on the double carousel. Just behind there are two floor-level trampolines suitable for wheelchairs. Here, all children can promote balance, endurance and movement coordination.In addition, there is a slackline, on which the children can balance from platform to platform. It is here, where they can practise different movements and postures, which help them to develop their motor skills. They learn how to move around without a solid surface, to improve their movement coordination and to promote concentration. In the large sand area, children can play with a sand dredger in many different ways.
Along the paths, children can play "4 wins" or "Tic-Tac-Toe" with each other on two game boards. The boards are arranged in such a way that also children in wheelchairs can join the game without any problems. One of the paths leads to the nest swing. There, several people can be on the swing at the same time, sitting or lying down, and experience what it is like to fly in the air or to be close to the sky. Both a staircase and a barrier-free ramp lead up to the hill. There one will find a street workout facility where both young and old can exercise. It is here, where pull-ups, dangling, gymnastics and many other sports and fitness exercises are possible. Next to it there are three fitness machines. The various muscle groups can be effectively trained on the Twister, Tai-Chi and the Wheel.
Conclusion
An investment volume of around 350,000 euros, 65 per cent of which, i.e. 230,000 euros, came from funds of the Leaderverein and the remaining 35 per cent was borne by the association through donations. The pure figures speak for themselves.
" I dream that people come here to understand their counterparts and learn that every person is lovable, even if this person is probably a little different from oneself," says the former chairman of the development association Friedhelm Jung when explaining the basic idea of the active park.
However, the initial idea was fully implemented through the integrative and inclusive approach of the multigenerational playground. The philosophy of conscious inclusion and promoted participation was put into practice through this inclusive playground in Burbach.
