imPossible Dream wins top spot, city partners with accessibility advocates

By Carmen Russo
Posted 6/21/16

Energetic children ignored increasingly impatient parents and chased each other around the padded walkways at the imPossible Dream playground Tuesday afternoon. They even ignored Mayor Scott …

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imPossible Dream wins top spot, city partners with accessibility advocates

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Energetic children ignored increasingly impatient parents and chased each other around the padded walkways at the imPossible Dream playground Tuesday afternoon. They even ignored Mayor Scott Avedisian and continued their games as he began a press conference with two announcements.

First, he announced that The imPossible Dream had been named the 16th most popular playground in the country and the number one playground in New England. The mayor also announced a new partnership between the city and Accessible RI, a nonprofit dedicated to making the state more accessible to people with disabilities. Both Accessible RI and The imPossible Dream work to make public spaces more accessible to people with disabilities.

“I was absolutely shocked when we got the notification,” said Diane Florio-Penza, executive director of The imPossible Dream. “Being the most popular is so different than any other award because it means everyone who comes is enjoying themselves. It was beyond my wildest dreams.”

The imPossible Dream was the state’s first integrated playground, with equipment and play areas for children of all abilities. It was named to the country’s top 50 playgrounds by Early Childhood Education Zone and then named the 16th most popular after online voting was opened to the public. Florio-Penza didn’t even know that the imPossible Dream had been named to the top 50 until she heard about the final rankings.

“A lot of that credit belongs to the parents who always bring their children here and have wonderful things to say,” said Florio-Penza during the press conference.

“This is an incredible, incredible achievement and designation,” added Mayor Avedisian.

The new partnership between Avedisian and Accessible RI will spread more information about the state’s accessibility to both residents and tourists. Accessible RI began to assess restaurants and public spaces for accessibility in 2003 and distributed the information through the Warwick Visitor’s Bureau. When the Bureau closed, Donald Perna, the executive director of Accessible RI, went to Mayor Avedisian for help.

“A lot of times if you meet with politicians, they talk to you, and they ‘yes’ you, but that’s it,” said Perna.

But Avedisian was different, Perna said, calling him “a man of action.” The city’s Department of Tourism, Culture and Development will now work with Accessible RI to distribute informational pamphlets and provide relevant links on the city tourism website.

Hundreds of the guides from Accessible RI have already been distributed to all 16 hotels in Warwick so front desk staff can readily supply information about accessible places. Along with restaurants, accommodations, parks, libraries, and senior centers, the guides also include information about physical therapy. Descriptions of each venue detail specific accommodations or the lack of them.

“In the past, many people have tried to do this but we took a different approach,” said Perna. “It’s just as important to know what isn’t accessible because there are different levels of disability.”

Assessments are in compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations and evaluations of parking accessibility, the route of travel from the parking lot to the venue, the main entrance and the bathroom. The Accessible RI staff that complete assessments look for flat surfaces leading to the main entrance, doors that are wide enough for wheelchairs, and bathroom necessities such as grab bars, lever handles on doors and sinks, raised toilet seats, and paper towels that can be reached from a wheelchair.

Although the assessments are completed with wheelchairs in mind, the information can be used for people with any physical disabilities, or even people traveling with a baby in a stroller. Debbie Centracchio, one of two people who work on assessments, said it is challenging to try to evaluate places throughout the state with such a small staff. But Accessible RI has been able to complete about 1,000 assessments in the past two years, according to Centracchio. The list includes every bike path in the state and hundreds of parks, which the staff at Accessible RI hopes will allow all visitors and residents to enjoy the most of Rhode Island.

“We’d like to thank Accessible RI for showing us how important it is to be inclusive,” said Mayor Avedisian at the press conference. “When you have thirty-nine miles of coastline, you want everyone who visits to be able to see it.”

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