APOPKA, Fla. — The city of Apopka is working to build an all-inclusive playground. City leaders are asking for public input amid the grant application process. Residents can reach out the Parks and Recreation Department. 

What You Need To Know

  • City of Apopka seeks to build all-inclusive playground

  •  Stephen Hibbard has been pushing for this for years

  •  His daughter Addison was born with a rare neurological disorder

  • The playground will replace two older ones at the Northwest Recreation Complex

Stephen Hibbard, whose 11-year-old daughter Addison was born with a rare neurological disorder, said he has been pushing the city to do this for six years.

“It gives the opportunity for the children that have special needs to play with the typical children,” he said. “For the typical children to play with the special needs children and teach that there’s no difference between them.”

Hibbard said it’s about more than adding an ADA-compliant piece of equipment to the playground. “The special needs children or the typical children — they know the difference,” he said. “We as adults may not think it, but they definitely know the difference.”

Radley Williams, the city’s Parks and Recreation director, said he hopes to secure grant funding before the summer so they can build the playground by the end of 2023 or the beginning of next year. He says inclusivity in play is on the forefront nationally and is one of the current initiatives for the National Recreation and Parks Association.

“Our goal is to achieve as wide a variety as possible while still providing that traditional sense of play and playground,” Williams said.

The playground will replace two older ones at the Northwest Recreation Complex.

Williams said the city is hoping to get ideas from Magnolia Park, an Orange County all-inclusive playground.  

The city is also working to create a sensory garden near the playground that will incorporate all five senses.