The national push for universally accessible play areas that include children of all ages and abilities has prompted the city of Mesa to make some positive changes.

Within the next month, the city will begin work on Dobson Ranch Park, replacing the 20-year-old equipment with new features, specifically designed to engage children with physical, cognitive and sensory disabilities. These new features include swings, zip lines and much more, which will create a safe and comfortable place for all children to play.

The project comes with a price tag of $700,000 that covers the high cost of developing an inclusive playground with specialized swings, rides and surfaces. This is an important project for the community, as this will be the first universally accessible park in Mesa that will allow interaction and growth between children of all ability levels.

The Dobson Ranch Park in southwest Mesa was chosen for the overhaul because of it’s size and popularity within the community. The design for the new playground shows an adaptive zip lines that are wheelchair-accessible, expression swings, tactile play areas with musical instruments and ramps and transfer stations for children in wheelchairs to access all parts of the park.