Newswise — Spring is the time to create and dream. As new flowers burst out of the ground, so too will a new playground arise for the children of the Balboa Park District " born from the hard work of caring volunteers.
On Tuesday, March 4, 2008, hundreds of orthopaedic surgeons and their families, community volunteers, orthopaedic industry representatives and related organizations, and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' staff are gathering from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Balboa Park at Ocean and San Jose Avenues to build a playground in a single day so the area children " with and without disabilities " can play together in a safe, accessible environment.
The new 3,000-square-foot playground is sponsored by the Academy " in partnership with the Friends of Balboa Park Playground, Neighborhood Parks Council, the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department and KaBOOM!
Features of the new playground:"¢ Rubberized surfaces"¢ Wheelchair accessible ramps"¢ "Tot lot" for children ages 2-5"¢ Larger play structure for children ages 5-12"¢ Safety sign in Braille"¢ Several slides and play components"¢ Climbing and balancing activities
Quotes:"Providing a safe playground where kids with and without disabilities can play together gives us the opportunity to prevent, not just treat, injuries," explained Stephen Hurst, MD, San Mateo orthopaedic surgeon.
"Building a new playground for our children to play has been a fantastic experience. By working together we've also built a sense of community and lasting friendships with our neighbors. Thanks to the generosity of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in conjunction with KaBOOM!, Neighborhood Parks Council and San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, our neighborhood will enjoy this playground for many years to come," said Pierre Barolette, Co-Founder of Friends of Balboa Park Playground.
Invited guests:Mayor Gavin NewsomDistrict Supervisor Gerardo SandovalAdjacent District Supervisor Sean ElsberndSupervisors Alioto-Pier, Ammiano, Chu, Daly, Dufty, Maxwell, McGoldrick, Mirkarimi and Peskin
Tips to minimize and prevent playground injuries: http://www.orthoinfo.org/fact/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=95&topcategory=Children
http://www.orthoinfo.org/fact/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=406&topcategory=Children
About AAOS:http://www.aaos.org/about/about.asp
About Friends of Balboa Park Playground:http://www.fobpp.com/
About Neighborhood Parks Council:http://www.sfnpc.org/
About KaBOOM!:http://www.kaboom.org/AboutUs/WhatIsKaBOOM/tabid/62/Default.aspx
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