Making our parks more inclusive doesn’t always mean a big construction project or a major change. Sometimes, it can be as simple as giving someone another way to communicate.
That’s the idea behind playground communication boards. These boards help community members express what they want, need or see while they’re playing. For non-verbal visitors, this can be key to staying and playing. For verbal visitors who need support, the boards can help expand vocabulary, relate to other children, and even play a “matching game” for words in English and Spanish on both sides of the board.
We’ve shared information about these boards in the past, highlighting why they are important to include in play spaces and who they serve. This fall, we are eager to get more of these tools installed in playgrounds across the JC Parks system! We’re also grateful for the community engagement and local support we’ve seen in keeping up momentum to bring our ideas to reality.
Building on Our Inclusion & Accessibility Work
Our Inclusion & Accessibility Study with Crafton Tull allowed us to take a closer look at our parks and programs and identify ways we can better serve people of all abilities. That work is also helping guide what comes next, including the future work of building a “desitnation” inclusive park right here in JCMO. While still in the early planning stages of that project, we’re eager to get the ball rolling and will share more as plans develop. In the meantime, there are supportive projects we can work on now—and communication boards are a great example.
Where Are the Boards?
We’re creating a map of the communication boards currently installed in our community. We’ll continue adding locations to the map as more boards are placed.
We’d also like to hear from you.
Do you have an idea for where a communication board would be helpful? Have you used one before? Is there something you think we should consider as we continue this project?
Click here to submit your thoughts in our Community Feedback: Communication Boards survey (six questions).
Your input can help us determine where additional boards could be most useful.
How You Can Help Add More Boards
Communication boards are a relatively simple way to add an accessibility resource to a playground or other public space. They don’t require a large construction project, but they can make a real difference for the people who use them. We’re looking for local businesses, organizations and community groups interested in sponsoring communication boards. Sponsorship can help us add more boards in more locations throughout the community. It’s also a great way for local organizations to directly support inclusion and accessibility in Jefferson City.
Want to Get Involved?
There are several ways to be part of this project. You can provide feedback, suggest a location, help spread the word or sponsor a communication board through your business or organization. If you’d like to learn more about communication boards, JC Parks’ inclusion and accessibility work, or sponsoring a board, contact Ashley Wiskirchen, Community Relations Manager by phone at 573-634-6488 or by email at awiskirchen@jeffersoncitymo.gov.
We’re excited to keep adding practical ways to make our parks more accessible—and communication boards are a great place to start.