Palo Alto: Magical Bridge Playground set to open Saturday

April 17--PALO ALTO -- Six years ago, Palo Alto resident Olenka Villarreal embarked on a mission to build the kind of playground that all children could enjoy regardless of their age or ability.

That mission will be realized Saturday at 10 a.m. when the Magical Bridge officially opens at Mitchell Park.

"It's the end of a long journey but also a beginning of a new one," said Villarreal, who pursued the project when she couldn't find a suitable place to swing Ava, her then-6-year-old intellectually disabled daughter. The motion is beneficial in that it helps develop a sense of balance.

The city was willing to set aside nearly 1.3 acres between Adobe Creek and the park's southernmost tennis court as long as Villarreal raised the funds for the playground's design and construction.

A total of $4 million was collected, according to Jill Asher, Villarreal's long-time friend and a member of the Friends of the Magical Bridge. More than 90 percent came from private sources.

Billed as the nation's most "innovative inclusive" playground, the Magical Bridge caters to kids of all ages and abilities, not just those in wheelchairs, Villarreal said. Highlights include a two-story playhouse designed by local artist Barbara Butler, a laser harp and an elevated "tree walk."

Villarreal said she hopes the distinction is fleeting.

"We don't want to be the only one in a 15-mile radius," she said about the Magical Bridge. "We think every community should have their own version of an inclusive outdoor public park."

There are an estimated 11,000 people in Palo Alto with some kind of disability, according to Villarreal.

Now that the playground is finished, Villarreal said she hopes city officials near and far will consider the needs of all residents when designing public facilities. The addition of bucket swings to a "tot lot" at Eleanor Pardee Park is proof that Palo Alto is listening, she added.

"We're trying to sort of use the playground to spark a conversation to encourage more inclusive thinking across the board," Villarreal said. "We're trying to replace the word 'accessible' with the word 'inclusive.' "

Email Jason Green at jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; follow him at twitter.com/jgreendailynews.

ON THE WEB

For more information about the Magical Bridge Project, visit www.magicalbridge.org.

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