Boundless Playground in Fort Wayne?

Have you ever heard of a Boundless Playground? On a Boundless Playground children of all abilities can gain the important developmental and physical benefits of unstructured play. They also learn to appreciate the unique abilities of others, regardless of any perceived disability. On a Boundless Playground ALL children – and adults – are in the middle of the playground fun. There are nearly 200 Boundless Playgrounds in 31 states and Canada, with over 100 under development.

Sounds like a great idea, right? But have you ever seen one here in Fort Wayne? The answer is no, because in the entire State of Indiana there is not one Boundless Playground anywhere! Boo!

But help has arrived in the shape of 7th grade Taylor Reuille. Taylor is raising money to build a Boundless Playground in Fort Wayne. If she succeeds, the playground will be the first certified Boundless Playground in Indiana.

The idea for the playground struck then 11 year-old Taylor as she was reading a story about Boundless Playgrounds. The story described the disappointment of children with disabilities who don’t have a place to play at recess. She started to look around at recess and noticed a girl in a wheelchair sitting on the sidelines. “She was crying, because she wanted to play with her friends.” In Taylor’s words, “Most kids with disabilities are not able to play at a regular playground because the playgrounds do not accommodate their needs. If children with disabilities are not able to play at a playground, then why should I or other children who don't have disabilities be able to play? Currently, there is not a single Boundless Playground in the entire state of Indiana. Children of all ages and all abilities need to laugh and have fun.”

Incredibly, Taylor has raised over 50% of the money needed for the playground. Construction is scheduled for late summer, subject to the success of fundraising efforts. The local community has rallied around Taylor’s efforts and the project has the strong support of the City Parks and Recreation Department and various local organizations. The playground site is in a centrally located public park with easy access from a wide geographical region.

How can you help make this dream a reality? Vote online! CVS Pharmacy, Boundless Playgrounds, and Pepsi want your vote as they work to give children of all abilities the opportunity to play together. Voting is open to legal residents of the U.S. residing in one of the fifty United States or the District of Columbia who are 13 years of age or older. Voting is limited to one vote, per individual, per day.

Voting ends at noon on September 28. To find out who will receive $70,000 in funding, go to the website after noon on the 28th.

For more information about Boundless Playgrounds, visit their website.