Airdrie city council has unanimously passed a notice of motion directing staff to develop a formal policy establishing minimum standards for inclusive and accessible playground design.
The motion, co-sponsored by councillors Heather Spearman and Tina Petrow, states that a “consistent, citywide approach to inclusive and accessible playground design would support equity, reduce barriers and align with best practices”
The motion noted that it would apply to all newly constructed and redeveloped playgrounds.
Spearman told council the motion came from collaboration “with a couple of residents” and acknowledged their work at the Bayside playground, “that was done with the collaboration of our parks and administration, that made it into an accessible park.”
She said the current initiative came after ongoing advocacy and consultation “with Councillor Petrow and myself and staff and other stakeholders at different levels, whether that's the construction industry or otherwise.”
The motion directs staff to develop a policy that includes “clear definitions, feature expectations, and implementation considerations,” and to engage “residents who are directly impacted by playground accessibility barriers, including persons with disabilities and parents of children with diverse mobility and sensory needs.”
It also states that “a formal policy would support long-term capital planning, improve clarity for developers and better reflect Airdrie’s commitment to accessibility and inclusion.”
Deputy Mayor Ron Chapman said, “I agree, 100%… I'm just curious whether there's, and I'm sure that'll be administration, will look into it, any consultation with the development industry for the costs of playgrounds.”
Spearman replied, “Absolutely, that’s part of the Notice of Motion — to include those that may be directly affected, or their families.”
A staff member said there would need to be “consultation with the build community, just because that would change, potentially, cost to developers as they present new playgrounds with their developments,” and emphasized the importance of “hav[ing] their input into that policy development as well.”
Before the vote, Spearman said, “I know Kayla [McPhail] and Shelby [Perrotta] - if you're online listening - I just want to thank them for their advocacy… and to Bronson [McPhail] as well, who's a big inspiration in all of this.”
Brown asked, “Because seniors have mobility issues, they're not excluded from the conversation within that description, right?” Spearman answered: “Of course.”
The motion passed unanimously. Councillors Candice Kolson and Al Jones were absent from the meeting.
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