* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:04] DETERMINE IF WE HAVE A QUORUM. PRESENT ALL, UH, BOARD MEMBERS HERE IF YOU COULD GO DOWN. THANK YOU. OKAY. [Call to Order - Determine if a Quorum is Present] CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME NOW? YEP. OKAY. WE'RE GONNA CALL THE, UH, MEETING TO ORDER AND DETERMINE IF WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT. UM, EACH BOARD MEMBER WILL, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR NAMES. I COURTNEY KELLY HERE. AARON ELL? HERE. JESSICA LO. HERE. MARK BANOWSKY. OKAY. WE CAN DO THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AT THIS TIME. OKAY. PLEASE TAKE YEAH. ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STAYS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE. FOR ALL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I VOTE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE AND INVISIBLE . THANK YOU. YOU ARE WELCOME. ISN'T BAD. OKAY. UM, COMMUNITY [Community Announcements] ANNOUNCEMENTS THERE. ANY ITEMS, UH, OF COMMUNITY INTERESTS MAY INCLUDE RECOGNIZING CITIZENS AND STAFF OR OUTSTANDING, UM, CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY. A REMINDER ABOUT AN UPCOMING EVENT THAT IS ORGANIZED OR SPONSORED BY THE GOVERNING BODY AND ANNOUNCEMENTS OF, UH, ANY IN A MINUTE. I CAN'T SAY IT. I'M, IT'S TOO CRAZY OF A DAY THROUGH THE PUBLIC SAFETY THAT HAS RISEN. UH, AFTER POSTING OF THIS AGENDA, UH, YEAH, WE HAVE OUR FIRST SUMMER MUSIC SERIES. UH, SO THAT CONCERT WILL BE MAY 16TH, UH, STARTING AT FIVE, GOING TILL ABOUT NINE O'CLOCK. MAY 16TH. YES, MA'AM. AT VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK. AWESOME. UM, CITIZEN INPUT THERE. ANY PERSONS MAY ADDRESS THE BOARD. YOUR COMMENTS ARE CONCERNING AN AGENDA ITEM. YOU MAY WAIT UNTIL THE DISCUSSION OF THAT ITEM IF YOU PREFER, UH, ONCE RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIRPERSON, PLEASE STEP FORWARD TO THE SPEAKER'S PODIUM. STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, UM, AND SPEAK DIRECTLY INTO THE MICROPHONE. I DUNNO IF WE HAVE ANYBODY ONLINE. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THEN WE WILL MOVE INTO [Department Updates and Discussion] UPDATES, UH, RECEIVE A PRESENTATION REGARDING ALL INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUNDS, UM, IN ANY DISCUSSION WITH THAT. YEAH, SO I HAVE, OH, LET ME UNMUTE HIM REAL QUICK. UH, I'VE GOT WESTWOOD ON WITH ME. UM, THEY HAVE, UH, THEIR SPECIFIC EXPERT ON THIS, CHAD, UH, ON THE CALL, AND THEY'RE GOING TO PROVIDE US A PRESENTATION OF ALL INCLUSIVE PLAY, UH, SPECIFICALLY IN REGARDS TO TTI PARK. SO WITH THAT, TRISHA, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO Y'ALL. THANKS AGAIN FOR HAVING US. UM, I'LL LET CHAD, UH, LEAD THE PRESENTATION AND WE'LL, WE'LL END WITH HOW WE HAVE APPLIED ALL INCLUSIVE INTO THE PARK. OH, HE'S MUTED. IF WE CAN. OH, THERE WE GO. . UH, I SAID, I, I, I HOPE EVERYONE CAN HEAR ME AND THEN NOBODY ANSWERED SO THEN I'D LOOK TO SEE THAT I WAS ON, I WAS STILL ON MUTE. SO, UM, WELL, THANKS, THANKS FOR FOR HAVING ME. AND, UH, INVITING ME TO SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, SOCIALLY INCLUSIVE PLAY AND SENSORY RICH PLAY SPACES. UH, WE, TRICIA AND I HAVE, HAVE WORKED TOGETHER, UH, PARTICULARLY ON, ON THE, UH, TI PROJECT AND ARE EXCITED TO KINDA SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES THAT, UM, ARE BEHIND THE DESIGN. UM, WE DO THIS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND ARE TRYING TO REALLY HELP PEOPLE RECOGNIZE AND UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A STANDARD PLAY SPACE AND ONE THAT HAS BEEN THOUGHT THROUGH FOR ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION AND SENSORY INTEGRATION. SO, UM, I'M GONNA MOVE REALLY QUICK THROUGH THIS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANNA SHOW YOU YOUR PROJECT TOO, AND I WANNA BE COGNIZANT OF, UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR TIME. SO, UM, FEEL FREE TO, TO INTERRUPT ME IF YOU WANT TO HEAR MORE DETAIL ABOUT A CERTAIN, UH, CONCEPT OR A CERTAIN TOPIC. I HAVE STORIES I'D LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT EVERY ONE OF THOSE, UM, EVERY ONE OF THESE SLIDES, BUT I JUST DON'T HAVE TIME TODAY. SO, UH, STOP ME IF YOU NEED ME TO, TO, TO FOCUS ON A TOPIC FOR MORE, UH, IN MORE DETAIL. UM, FIRST OF ALL, [00:05:01] YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? WE'RE, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A DA STANDARDS. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE RESULT OF WHERE A DA CAME FROM. HOWEVER, UH, A DA STARTED, YOU KNOW, UH, BACK IN THE NINETIES, ACTUALLY, EARLIER IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, BUT THEN WE HAD LAW, THE A DA STANDARDS THAT CAME INTO PLACE IN THE NINETIES, AND THEN NONE OF THOSE HAD ACTUALLY INCORPORATED THE PLAYGROUNDS, HOWEVER, AND THERE WERE SOME GUIDELINES PUT TOGETHER BECAUSE THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE RECOGNIZED THAT OVERSIGHT. BUT THOSE GUIDE GUIDELINES DIDN'T ACTUALLY GET INCORPORATED INTO A DA STANDARDS UNTIL 2000, THE 2010 VERSION. AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE, IT TAKES SOME TIME FOR THAT TO HAPPEN AND THEN TO GO THROUGH THE STATES AND WHATNOT. AND THEN TEXAS' 2012 STANDARDS ACTUALLY INCORPORATED ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS FOR PLAYGROUNDS. AND SO THAT'S KIND OF THE, THE HISTORY OF WHERE THIS COMES FROM. BUT WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT IS MORE THAN A DA, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, HOW TO TAKE THAT TO THE NEXT LEVEL, WHICH IS REALLY REMOVING BARRIERS FOR PEOPLE, BECAUSE THESE ARE THE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED BY DISABILITIES. WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT A INDIVIDUAL PERSON OR SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THEM AND THEIR SIBLINGS, THEIR CARETAKERS, THEIR PARENTS, EXTENDED FAMILY, AND THEIR FRIENDS. ALL OF THE PEOPLE, THE SUPPORT GROUP AROUND SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY ARE AFFECTED BY, UH, THE BARRIERS THAT ARE CREATED. UH, WHEN WE DESIGN A SPACE. AND IF THOSE BARRIERS AREN'T THOUGHT ABOUT, THEN ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ARE RESTRICTED FROM THE, UH, THE ABILITY TO PLAY IN, IN INTERACT IN A, IN A PLAY SPACE, BECAUSE WE'VE DONE SOMETHING ON OUR SIDE THAT, THAT RESTRICTS ACCESS OR, YOU KNOW, THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY PLAY. SO HERE'S, HERE'S THE CONCEPT ON THE SCREEN HERE. SO WE HAVE AN INEQUALITY IN THE UPPER, UPPER LEFT HAND CORNER, THERE'S AN INEQUALITY. IN THIS CASE, THE TREE, THE GRAPHIC JUST SHOWS A TREE AND IT'S TILTED. AND SO ALL THE APPLES ARE FALLING TO ONE SIDE, ONE CHILD ON THE SIDE CAN'T GET ANY OF THE APPLES. SO WE DROP DOWN TO THE PICTURE BELOW IT, INTO EQUALITY. IF WE WERE PRACTICING EQUALITY, WE GIVE BOTH OF THOSE CHILDREN A THE SAME LADDER SO THAT THEY CAN GET TO THE, TO THE APPLES IN THE TREE. BUT WE'VE STILL, WE STILL DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE APPLES. WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE BECAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT SITUATION ON THE RIGHT HAND THAT IT IS ON THE LEFT. SO GO UP TO THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY. OKAY, WELL, WE'LL GIVE ONE CHILD A LARGER LADDER SO THAT HE OR SHE CAN GET UP TO THE TREE AND INTERACT WITH THAT TREE IN THE SAME WAY. SO, WELL, THAT'S GREAT. UM, IT REQUIRES SOME ADAPT ADAPTATIONS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. BUT WHAT IF ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER, WHAT IF WE FIX THE PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH, WE STRAIGHTEN UP THAT TREE AND THEN GIVE THE KIDS EQUAL, UM, AFFORDANCES TO GET TO THOSE APPLES. WHAT DOES THAT DO? WELL, IT CREATES A SYSTEM WHERE BOTH, BOTH KIDS ON EITHER SIDE ARE ABLE TO DO THE SAME THING AND ENJOY THAT SPACE. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PLAYGROUNDS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PLAYGROUND. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A HOW ARE WE DESIGNING A PLAY SPACE SO THAT EVERYONE CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE RECREATIONAL SPACE, UH, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEIR ABILITIES OR DISABILITIES MIGHT BE. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, IS FOCUS ON THE JUSTICE OF FIXING THE ENVIRONMENT ITSELF, NOT NOT ACCOMMODATING THE PERSON. SO WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ACCESSIBILITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION? SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY, WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT, UH, THE SLOPES AND, YOU KNOW, HOW EASY IT IS FOR SOMEONE TO GET UP AND DOWN WITH A WHEELCHAIR OR WITH A, AN AMBULATORY DEVICE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HEAD CLEARANCES TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEONE WHO VIS HAS A VISUAL VISUAL DISABILITY DOESN'T WALK INTO SOMETHING TALKING ABOUT ALL WEATHER SURFACES, SO THAT IF IT'S RAINING OR MUDDY, SOMEONE CAN GET INTO THINGS ME AND OUR CLEARANCES FOR, FOR PERSONS THAT ARE IN A WHEELCHAIR, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE LAWS AND STANDARDS THAT ARE WRITTEN DOWN AND WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IN OR AS A MINIMUM STANDARD TO, TO TAKE CARE OF THINGS, THE ENVIRONMENT. BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INCLUSION, AND WHEN I ADVOCATE FOR THIS, WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS MORE OF THE EXPERIENCE. I'M TALKING ABOUT HOW DO PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN PLAY? ARE WE INCLUDING EVERYBODY THAT SO THEY CAN, ARE WE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL INTERACTION, UM, AND NOT JUST SPACES FOR CERTAIN PEOPLE? ARE WE PROVIDING SPACES THAT ALLOW CHILDREN TO BE INDEPENDENT AND MAKE CHOICES ON THEIR OWN, DECIDE WHEN IT'S OKAY TO BE A LITTLE RISKIER IN THEIR PLAY, UM, AND DECIDE THAT ON THEIR OWN? UH, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS ENABLE ALL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO PLAY TOGETHER. AND WHEN WE DESIGN SPACES WITHOUT ACCESSIBILITY, THEN WE WE'RE THWARTING THAT [00:10:01] INTENTION OF INCLUSION. UM, SO IT'S ACCESSIBILITY IS PART OF INCLUSION, BUT IT'S JUST A SMALL PART OF IT. WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO IS DESIGN WELL AND DESIGN WITH DIVERSE OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS TO, AND THE ABILITY TO ENGAGE IN THAT PLAY SPACE. SO THERE ARE A FEW CORE ELEMENTS TO INCLUSIVE PLAY, AND THESE ARE ON THE SCREEN HERE. UM, WE TALK ABOUT INDEPENDENCE, GRADUATING COMPLEXITY, PHYSICAL AND RISKY PLAY, SENSORY INTEGRATION, INTERGENERATIONAL PLAY, CREATIVE PLAY, AND SOCIAL INCLUSION. I'M GONNA WALK THROUGH EACH OF THESE. SO, UM, I KNOW THAT THE TERMS CAN BE LITTLE MUDDY AND, AND MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE. SO I'M GONNA WALK THROUGH EACH OF THOSE, UM, SO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M COMING FROM WHEN I SAY THAT. THOSE ARE THE CORE ELEMENTS OF INCLUSIVE PLAY. AND THIS IS WHERE I KIND OF HAVE TO GO QUICKLY THROUGH. THERE'S JUST TOO MANY SLIDES TO TO, TO, UH, TELL A STORY FOR EVERY ONE, UM, IN THE NEXT 20 MINUTES. UH, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS A GREAT IMAGE THAT SHOWS, UH, PROSPECT REFUGE, UM, AND FENCING AND OBSERVATION, WHICH ALL ENCOURAGE SPACES THAT ARE SAFE. SO WHEN SOMEONE GOES INTO A SPACE AND THEY FEEL SAFE, THEN THEIR GUARD GOES DOWN, THEY'RE ABLE TO PLAY AND INTERACT. AND, UH, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN ON, UH, THE SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDERS OR THE, THE AUTISM SPECTRUM, UM, THEY NEED SPACES WHERE THEY CAN GO FOR PROSPECT REFUGE. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THEY CAN GO SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND THEM. THEY CAN SEE FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF JUST WORRYING ABOUT WHAT'S IN FRONT AND TO THE SIDES OF THEM. SO THIS LITTLE MOUND IS A GREAT, UH, CONCEPT WHERE A CHILD CAN GO IN THERE AND THEY CAN SIT IN THERE, THEY CAN DECIDE THEY HAVE A, A MEANS OF EGRESS AND A MEANS OF, OF, UM, ACCESS. SO THEY KNOW WHERE TO, TO GET OUT IF THEY NEED TO QUICKLY, UH, IF THEY PERCEIVE DANGER, BUT IT'S ALSO A SAFE SPACE WHERE THEY, THEY CAN CONTROL THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND THEM. UM, THAT THE BENCH THERE IS ALSO A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT BECAUSE SOMEONE CAN SIT UP AGAINST THAT BENCH, THERE'S A FENCE BEHIND THEM. THEY KNOW THAT A DOG CAN'T COME UP FROM BEHIND THEM OR, UM, AND, UH, IMPACT THEM. THEY, THEY HAVE A SPACE WHERE THEY CAN OBSERVE AND JUMP INTO PLAY WHENEVER THEY'RE READY TO DO SO. UM, ALSO, WHEN A CHILD ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM OR SET WITH SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDERS, UM, THEY, IF THEY, THERE'S TOO MUCH SENSORY STIMULI IN THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND THEM, TOO MUCH INPUT AT ONE TIME, THEN THEY CAN BECOME OVERLOADED. AND MANY TIMES WHAT THAT RESULTS IN IS A CHILD THAT BOLTS OR THEY RUN. AND SO IN THIS PARTICULAR IMAGE, YOU CAN SEE THE FENCE THAT GOES AROUND THE, THE PLAYGROUND. THAT FENCE ISN'T INTENDED TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF THE PLAY SPACE. YOU CAN SEE IT'S ONLY, YOU KNOW, THREE AND A HALF, FOUR FEET TALL. THE ENTIRE PURPOSE OF THAT FENCE IS FOR SAFETY OF CHILDREN TO KEEP THEM IN THAT SPACE SO THEY CAN'T GET TO THE PARKING LOT OR TO THE ROAD OR TO THE POND THAT'S AROUND THE PLAY SPACE. IF THEY BOLT AND THEY, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, THEY'VE, THEY'VE JUST GOTTA ESCAPE. THIS IS A, A WAY TO HELP, UM, CONFINE THEM AND KEEP THEM IN THAT SPACE. IT ALSO, UM, IT ALLOWS THEM, WELL, IT ALLOWS THE, THE PARENTS WHO ARE IN THAT SPACE, UH, TO GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE LEEWAY. AND I'LL SHOW BACK TO YOU IN A SECOND AS WELL. SO THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF, UM, IT'S MY SON. WE WERE IN SAN DIEGO, AND, UM, I, I, YOU KNOW, I WAS TRYING TO BE A GREAT DAD AND, AND EXPOSE HIM TO THIS REALLY COOL PIECE OF PLAY EQUIPMENT. SO I PUT HIM ON THIS, THIS SKATEBOARD THAT KIND OF, IT WOBBLES AROUND AND IT, AND IT GOES IN ALL MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS. AND AT HIS AGE, HE WAS JUST NOT READY FOR THAT. YOU CAN SEE HIS EXPRESSION. HE WAS NOT HAPPY TO BE ON THAT SKATEBOARD. UM, AND SO HE JUMPED OFF READILY AND RAN TO FIND A SPACE WHERE HE COULD SELF-REGULATE AND KIND OF GET BACK TO WHERE HE WAS, UM, READY TO PLAY AGAIN. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT LITTLE IMAGE OF WHERE HE WENT TO, TO GO HIDE WAS RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE BIG CLIMBER, BECAUSE THIS PLAY SPACE DIDN'T HAVE A COZY SPACE OR A PLACE WHERE HE COULD GO FEEL SAFE, HAVE THAT PROSPECT REFUGE, AND KNOW WHEN IT WAS READY TO A SAFE PLACE TO GO AND, AND GET BACK TO NORMAL. SO THIS WAS JUST AN INDICATOR TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY NEED TO PROVIDE THESE SPACES WHERE THEY CAN GO, UH, WHEN THEY GET, UM, OVERWHELMED. UH, WE NEED TO PLAY, PROVIDE SPACES, PROVIDE SPACES THAT ENCOURAGE SELF-EMPOWERMENT. AND THE IDEA HERE IS THAT CHILDREN ARE TOLD ALL DAY LONG WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO AND WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AND HOW THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO THINGS. AND WE CAN PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY WHERE THEY MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS. MOVABLE PIECES IS A GREAT WAY TO DO THAT, AS WELL AS DIFFERENT TYPES OF CAUSE AND EFFECT PLAY. I LOVE THIS IMAGE. NOT EVERY PLAYGROUND CAN HAVE SAND, UM, [00:15:01] JUST BECAUSE OF THE, THE MAINTENANCE REQUIRED BY THAT. AND NOT ALL, UM, MUNICIPALITIES, UH, LIKE TO MAINTAIN THAT. BUT THIS IS A GREAT WAY, THIS IS ONE WAY TO DO IT, AND THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER WAYS TO DO IT AS WELL. WATER PLAY IS A, IS A GREAT WAY THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAVE SAND AS WELL, BUT IF KIDS CAN DETERMINE WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WANT TO DO ON THEIR OWN AND LEARN HOW TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, THEY'RE, THAT VALUE OF PLAY IS EXPANDED, UH, FOR THEM IN THAT ENVIRONMENT. UM, ALONG THOSE SAME LINES OF SELF-EMPOWERMENT, WHEN I TALKED ABOUT THE FENCE JUST A SECOND AGO, UM, A FENCE IS ABOUT SAFETY, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT LETTING THOSE KIDS LOOSE IN A PLACE, IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE A PARENT CAN OR A CARETAKER CAN FEEL SAFE, UH, AND, AND HAVE ALLOW THEM TO RUN AROUND AND DO THINGS ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT THE FEAR OF THEM GETTING HURT OR RUNNING OFF. AND IT'S REALLY, REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN ON THE SENSORY OR WITH, UH, THE AUTISM SPECTRUM BECAUSE THOSE KIDS WILL BOTH, AND SOME OF THEM ARE VERY LARGE AND STRONG CHILDREN, AND THEY CAN GET AWAY VERY QUICKLY. AND JUST THE, THE ABILITY TO HAVE A FENCE WITH A GATE AT THE ENTRY CHANGES THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE FAMILIES BECAUSE THEY CAN LET THEM RUN AND FIND A PLACE TO, TO SELF-REGULATE AND KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET OUT OF THAT PLAY SPACE. SO SUPER IMPORTANT, UM, ALSO INCLUDING THINGS LIKE DRAMATIC PLAY, UM, ALLOW A CHILD TO, TO TAKE THE, WHAT THEY'RE LEARNING, UH, OR WHAT THEY OBSERVE IN THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND THEM, AND THEN THEY REENACT IT. THAT'S HOW THEY LEARN. SO HAVING PLACES LIKE THIS LITTLE, IN THIS EXAMPLE, IT'S A, A LITTLE, UH, UH, LIKE A LOG CABIN THING HERE. UM, KIDS WILL GO IN THERE AND NOT ONLY IS THE COZY SPACE, BUT THEY'LL ALSO USE THAT TO, UH, SELL, UM, THINGS OUT OF THE WINDOWS. YOU KNOW, ALL IMAGIN IMAGINATION OBVIOUSLY. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SELLING GOODS OUT OF THE WINDOW OR THEY'RE, UM, INTERACTING LIKE RAPUNZEL OUT OUTSIDE THE WINDOW, WHATEVER IT IS, THEY, THEY CAN REENACT THINGS THAT THEY SEE IN THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND THEM, UM, AT THEIR OWN WILL. YOU CAN DO THIS AT A SMALL SCALES AS WELL AS LARGE SCALES, GIVING CHILDREN THAT ABILITY TO, TO, TO MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES. THIS IS A, AN EXAMPLE OF A PROJECT THAT WE JUST FINISHED THIS LAST YEAR IN UGANDA, ACTUALLY, IT'S A SIMPLER PROJECT. I'LL SHOW YOU A MORE EXTRAVAGANT EXAMPLE IN A SECOND. BUT, UM, IN THIS CASE, WE TOOK A LOT OF JUST LOCAL MATERIALS AND USED THEM TO CREATE DIVERSITY IN THE OPTIONS THAT CHILDREN HAVE TO PLAY. AND THE MORE OPTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, THE MORE CHILDREN THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO, UM, MEET THEIR NEEDS AND FAMILIES THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MEET THEIR NEEDS. UM, IN THIS CASE, WE HAD, WE DIDN'T HAVE IMPACT ATTENUATING SURFACES, SO WE REALLY COULD ONLY RELY ON THINGS THAT WERE CLOSE TO THE GROUND. UM, WE COULDN'T HAVE KIDS FALLING OFF OF EQUIPMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO BECAUSE UNDERNEATH THIS TURF, THERE WAS NO IMPACT ATTENUATION. UM, SO THE, ANOTHER MORE EXTREME EXAMPLE OF THIS, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS A MORE COMPLEX PROJECT. UM, THIS ONE HAS A LOT MORE EQUIPMENT, MULTIPLE OPTIONS FOR EACH TYPE OF EQUIPMENT. SO IT MAY HAVE A ROLLER SLIDE AND A DUAL SLIDE AND A SINGLE SLIDE, PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF SPINNERS. UM, AND I'LL GET INTO WHY WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT, BUT WE HAVE DIFFERENT SCALES AT WHICH WE CAN DO THIS DEPENDING ON BUDGET AND SPACE. AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THINK OF. AND EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT HAVE A SMALL SPACE, WE STILL NEED DIVERSITY IN THE CHOICES THAT CHILDREN CAN PICK FROM. WHEN I TALK ABOUT, UM, HAVING MULTIPLE SPINNERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, HERE'S A GREAT REASON WHY THAT MIGHT BE THE CASE. SO, GRADUATING LEVELS OF COMPLEXITY, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT NOT EVERY CHILD IS AT THE SAME STAGE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR AGE. THEY MAY NOT BE AT THE SAME STAGE. SO WE NEED PIECES OF PLAY, WHETHER THEY'RE EQUIPMENT OR OTHER THINGS. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PLAY EQUIPMENT, BUT WE NEED THEM TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE AT DIFFERENT LEVELS AND STAY AND LEARN UNTIL THEY CAN BUILD UP TO DOING SOMETHING THAT'S MAYBE A LITTLE BIT HARDER. SO ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE HERE, THAT'S JUST, JUST A SPINNER ON THE GROUND, IT'S FLAT. THAT'S A LOT EASIER TO DEAL WITH. YOU CAN JUST LAY ON IT OR SIT ON IT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE POSTURAL SECURITY TO BE ABLE TO DO IT. BUT THEN ON THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER, SOMEONE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PUT YOU INTO THAT, BUT IT STILL IS A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO DO. IT'S AT AN ANGLE AND IT SPINS. AND SO YOU CAN GET THAT THING MOVING WITH KINETIC ENERGY, UM, OR CENTRIFUGAL FORCE. AND TRYING TO, UM, GET OUTTA THAT CAN BE A CHALLENGE. AND SO, UM, ONCE THEY'VE MASTERED THAT ONE, THEN THEY CAN GO ONTO THE ONE THAT'S IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER, WHICH, UM, [00:20:01] IT DOESN'T ONLY SPIN, BUT IT ALSO ROCKS. AND SO, AND NOW IT CAN BE DONE MUCH MORE SOCIALLY. SO YOU CAN HAVE THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE ON THIS, AND IT'S ROCKING IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AND IT BECOMES MORE CHALLENGING. SO IF WE PROVIDE SPACES WHERE KIDS CAN GROW INTO THE NEXT EXPERIENCE, THEN THEY'LL BE THERE LONGER, THEY'LL HAVE MORE SOCIAL INTERACTION, THEY'LL LEARN MORE, UM, ABOUT, UM, HOW, HOW TO PLAY AND HOW TO BE, UM, SOCIAL WITH PEOPLE. HERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SELF-EMPOWERMENT, CAUSE AND EFFECT PLAY. SO THIS IS A, A WATER, A WATER, UM, SPIGOT IF YOU WILL. UM, IT'S A FARM PUMP IS WHAT THEY CALL IT. BUT IT TAKES AN, YOU TAKE YOUR ARM AND YOU PUMP THE WATER INTO THIS TROUGH, AND THEN THE TROUGH GOES DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND YOU HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO DAM IT UP OR TO LET IT GO IN DIFFERENT SPACES. AND THERE'S LOTS OF, OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS AS IT MAKES ITS WAY DOWN THE HILL. AND THE CHILD DECIDES WHEN THEY GET TO, UH, HOW MUCH WATER THEY'RE USING, WHEN THEY STOP IT, WHEN THEY MOVE IT, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IN MANY CASES IT BECOMES A SOCIAL GAME WHERE THEY DECIDE TOGETHER HOW TO GET THAT WATER DOWN TO THE, THE GROUND LEVEL. AND THIS, IN THIS DESIGN IN PARTICULAR, IS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR WHEELCHAIR ACCESS. SO THEY CAN WHEEL RIGHT UP UNDERNEATH IT, WHETHER IT'S AN ADULT, A GRANDPARENT, OR A CHILD THERE AT THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL THAT THIS HAPPENS TO BE AT. I'M SORRY I'M MOVING THROUGH THIS SO QUICKLY, BUT THERE'S SO MUCH I NEED TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL. UM, OKAY, THAT, SO ENCOURAGING SOCIAL BEHAVIORS. THIS, THE ONLY REASON I SHOW THIS ONE, THIS IS A PROJECT UP IN SACRAMENTO, IS TO, TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT THERE'S RESEARCH BEING DONE THAT IS SHOWING THAT THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN THE ELEVATION, THE HIGHEST POINT IN A PLAYGROUND, AND THE AMOUNT OF SOCIAL INTERACTION THAT OCCURS. SO IT MAKES SENSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT THAT THE, THE HIGHEST SPACES ARE THE MOST POPULAR 'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE WANNA GET TO AND THEY WANT TO INTERACT, AND, AND THAT'S WHERE THEY END UP INTERACTING, IS AT THE HIGHEST PLACES. AND SO THIS DESIGN MOVED THE BIGGEST DECK FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP, WHICH IS FLIPPING WHAT WE TYPICALLY DO UPSIDE DOWN. AND ALL OF THE COOL AMAZING THINGS ARE ON THE HIGHEST DECK. AND, UM, THAT'S WHERE EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE. THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE SOCIAL, LOTS OF FUN THINGS TO DO UP THERE. AND IF I GET A CHANCE, I'D LOVE TO SHARE THAT PROJECT WITH ALL OF YOU AND ALL OF THE COOL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ON THAT ONE. OKAY? WE ALSO NEED SPACES THAT ENCOURAGE SOCIAL BEHAVIORS. SO WE, WE, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM OR WITH DISABILITIES, THEY TEND TO LIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE ISOLATED LIVES AND, UM, THAT FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS. BUT WE REALLY WANNA ENCOURAGE WHEN THEY ARE ON THE SPACE THAT THEY INTERACT TOGETHER WITH OTHER KIDS. AND IT HAPPENS NATURALLY IF WE PROVIDE THE SPACES FOR IT TO HAPPEN. UM, I I, I LOVE TO TELL A STORY ABOUT THIS LITTLE ROCKER THAT WE PUT IN A PLAYGROUND, AND IT WAS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED WITH A HORSE AND A CHAIR, A, UH, LIKE A SIDECAR ON IT. UM, SO THAT TWO PEOPLE COULD DO IT AT ONCE, OR TWO KIDS COULD PLAY AT ONCE. AND, AND I HAD MY, MY SON WAS AT THE PLAYGROUND. HE WAS, HE WAS RIDING ON THE MOTORCYCLE SIDE OF IT, KIND OF HORSE OR MOTORCYCLE SIDE. HE WAS GOING ALONG AND THEN THIS LITTLE TODDLER BARELY HAD LEARNED TO WALK, COMES WADDLING UP AND THEY STARED AT EACH OTHER FOR A SECOND, AND THEN THEY LOOKED AROUND AND SHE HOPPED INTO THE SIDECAR AND THEY HAD A BLAST. AND THEN WHEN THEY WERE DONE WITH THAT ONE, THEY RAN OFF AND PLAYED IN THE PLAYGROUND TOGETHER. ELSEWHERE. THAT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED IF WE HADN'T PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO INTERACT TOGETHER AND PLAY TOGETHER AND MAKE IT HAPPEN. IT'S NOT THAT WE PRESCRIBED IT, WE JUST GAVE THEM THE OPTION AND THE OPPORTUNITY. SO COOPERATIVE PLAY, THINGS LIKE THIS WHERE WE HAVE DOUBLE WIDE SLIDES, UM, PLAY WHERE THEY, THEY PLAY AT THE SAME EYE LEVEL, LIKE THAT WATER TROUGH I JUST SHOWED YOU. ONE CHILD COULD BE SITTING UP IN, IN THE EDGE, A FULLY ABLE BODY CHILD CAN BE UP IN THE, THE WATER OR IN THE SAND, AND THE CHILD IN THE WHEELCHAIR OR WITH A, A WALKER OR SOMETHING CAN BE STANDING THERE OR SITTING, UM, ON THE OTHER SIDE. AND THEY'RE PLAYING AT EYE LEVEL, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS AS WELL. UM, WE CAN PRESCRIBE, UM, OR WE CAN IMPLY, I LIKE TO IMPLY THINGS MORE OFTEN, BUT IN THIS CASE, THIS IS OUTSIDE OF A, A, UM, TEEN CENTER, UM, PRESCRIBING THIS PLAY OF CHECKERS OR CHESS, IT WAS REALLY, UM, EFFECTIVE. AND THE, THE KIDS LOVED IT. THEY COME IN, THEY CHECK OUT THE PIECES, AND THEN THEY GO OUT AND THEY PLAY OUT IN SPACE. UM, BUT WHEN THOSE PIECES AREN'T OUT THERE, YOU CAN SEE THOSE SEATS THERE. THE, THE LITTLE CHECKER ORIENTED OR THEMED SEATS, THEY BECAME PLAY, UH, PLAY PIECES AS WELL AS KIDS TRIED TO JUMP IN BETWEEN THEM AND THINGS LIKE THAT. KIDS WILL USE THIS AS HOPSCOTCH AND THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL. SO ENCOURAGING THINGS THAT, OR FINDING WAYS THAT HELP KIDS FIND EACH OTHER AND PLAY TOGETHER IS, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WOULD REQUIRE MORE THAN ONE PERSON TO DO, LIKE THAT FARM PUMP, IF YOU'RE PUMPING IT, UM, AND SOMEBODY'S TRYING TO COLLECT IT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T PUMP AND COLLECT IT THE SAME TIME. SO THOSE [00:25:01] ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THAT. ADDING THINGS LIKE RESTROOMS, UM, HELP PEOPLE TO STAY IN THOSE SPACES, SPACES LONGER, BECAUSE IF, IF ANY OF YOU HAVE CHILDREN, YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU LEAVE THE PLAYGROUND TO GO HOME FOR LUNCH OR FOR A RESTROOM BREAK, THE CHANCES ARE ALMOST ZERO THAT YOU'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO THAT PLAY, THAT PLAYGROUND FOR THE DAY, MAYBE IN A WEEK OR MAYBE IN THE, THE NEXT DAY, BUT YOU'RE NOT COMING BACK THAT DAY. IT'S TOO MUCH WORK. SO PROVIDING PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN EAT, GET, GET, UM, WATER, DRINK, UH, USE THE RESTROOM, PLACES THAT WITH SHADE, WHERE YOU CAN COOL DOWN. THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AS WELL. THIS IS A FUN WAY THAT WE DO THINGS AS WELL, IS YOU CAN ADD GAME PIECES OR GAME BOARDS, LIFESIZE GAME BOARDS THAT ENCOURAGE FAMILIES TO PLAY TOGETHER, UM, COOPERATE IN THIS CASE, THERE'S A, IN THE BACKGROUND THERE YOU CAN SEE LIKE A LITTLE SPINNER. AND SO NORMALLY IN THIS GAME, ONE KID IS SPINNING THAT AND SAYING THE COLOR OR THE NUMBER, AND THAT'S WHAT THE CHILDREN ARE USING TO RUN AROUND AND PLAY THIS GAME. IT'S ALSO A VERY, UM, IT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO AGES. YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT, ACTUALLY FOUR DIFFERENT GENERATIONS IN THIS PICTURE, UM, USING THAT SPACE. SO IT CAN BE VERY ENGAGING. UH, STRESS MANAGEMENT IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND IT'S HIGHLY TIED TO YOUR SENSORY SYSTEMS. I LOVE THIS PICTURE BECAUSE IT, IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THE, THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CHILDREN. UM, THERE'S A STORY BEHIND THIS ONE. I DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO OVER, BUT YOU CAN SEE HOW EACH CHILD IN THE LEFT HAND PICTURE IS IN A, IS EXPERIENCING THE BEACH IN A DIFFERENT WAY. ONE DOESN'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. ONE IS VERY INTERESTED IN THE SEASHELLS, AND ONE HE'S ABOUT READY TO LET GO OF HIS SISTER'S HAND AND JUST GO TROMPING THROUGH THE WATER AND, AND JUMPING ALL OVER THE PLACE. SO, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, THERE'S, UH, ONE CHILD WHO'S HAD WAY TOO MUCH, UM, SENSORY INPUT AND IS JUST CRASHED OUT IN THAT, THAT COZY, UM, COZY COCOON, UM, AND TRYING TO GET BACK TO NORMAL BEFORE THEY CAN GET BACK INTO RUNNING AROUND WITH EVERYBODY ELSE. AND THEN IN THE BOTTOM, A CHILD WHO JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH SPINNING, EVERYBODY HAS A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF JUST RIGHT SENSORY INPUT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO MANAGE. SO THE SENSORY SYSTEMS, WHEN I REFER TO THAT, ARE THE TYPICAL FIVE WE THINK ABOUT WITH TASTE, SMELL, TOUCH, SIGHT AND HEARING. BUT VESTIBULAR, WHICH IS YOUR SENSE OF BALANCE AND PROPRIOCEPTION IS YOUR SENSE OF AWARENESS AND SPACE, WHY YOU CAN TOUCH YOUR NOSE WHEN IT'S DARK AND WHY YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR HAND IS, EVEN IF YOU, IT'S BEHIND YOUR BACK. UM, AND THEN INTEROCEPTION IS YOUR SENSES OF LIKE THIRST AND HUNGER AND YOUR ALLERGIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. UM, THOSE ARE ALL SENSORY SYSTEMS THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT ARE HIGHLY, UM, IMPACTED BY TIME IN AN OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT. SO WAYS THAT WE CAN ENCOURAGE STRESS MANAGEMENT IS IN AREAS WHERE WE DON'T WANT ACTIVE THINGS HAPPENING. WE CAN USE CALM COLORS THAT WILL, THAT IS CALMING, IT HELPS CHILDREN TO SELF-REGULATE. SO THOSE COZY SPACES, THOSE COZY COCOONS, THINGS LIKE THAT, USING CALM COLORS IS APPROPRIATE THERE. WE CAN USE SPACES THAT ARE EASY TO UNDERSTAND. SO THAT CAN BE BY THE USE OF COLOR. IN THIS CASE, YOU KNOW, THE LITTLE KIDS AREA WAS GREEN. MOST OF IT WAS GREEN, BIG KIDS AREA. MOST OF IT WAS BLUE. WE CAN USE THE SIDEWALKS AND HOW THOSE LOOK, THE TEXTURES OF THEM, THE WIDTHS OF THEM, THE, THE COLORS OF THEM. UM, WE CAN EVEN USE CLOCKS OR OTHER FEATURES IN A PLAY SPACE TO HELP PEOPLE MAKE A COGNITIVE MAP OF WHERE THEY ARE. AND THAT RELIEVES STRESS ON, ON FAMILIES AS THEY COME INTO SPACES. WE CAN USE, UM, MUSIC, STORY TIMES, PLATFORMS, THINGS LIKE THAT TO DISTRACT FROM STRESSORS SO THEY CAN COME TO THIS SIDE AND LIKE IN THIS CASE IT'S OUTSIDE OF A LIBRARY, BUT THESE ARE PIECES THAT ARE TUNED AND THEY ARE, THEY'RE MUSICAL. THEY'RE NOT CLINGING AND, AND BANGING. THEY'RE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO CALM AND TO, TO HELP PEOPLE, UM, KIND OF GET OVER THOSE, THE, THE SOUNDS THAT WOULD, UH, CREATE STRESS IN THEIR LIVES. UM, IT'S ALSO A PLACE TO SIT DOWN AND MAYBE PUT ON A STORY, UM, OR PUT ON, UM, SOME LIGHT, UM, KIDS SOUND, KIDS' MUSIC OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, TO, TO GET PEOPLE BACK INTO A, UH, UH, A MODIFIED SENSE OF STRESS MANAGEMENT. WE REALLY HIGHLY ENCOURAGE THE USE OF NATURE AND BECAUSE OF ITS RESTORATIVE POWER, UM, YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE VERY STRESS FREE. STRESS FREE KIDS CAN EXPLORE AND UNDERSTAND AND FIND WHAT IT IS THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN. I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY OF A TIME WHEN I TOOK THE KIDS TO THE PLAYGROUND AND IT WAS A NEW STRUCTURE AND WE WERE THERE, WERE KIND OF PLAYING AROUND IN THERE, AND BEFORE I KNEW IT, ALL THE KIDS [00:30:01] HAD LEFT THE PLAYGROUND AND THEY WERE IN THIS OAK FOREST THAT WAS RIGHT NEXT TO THE PLAYGROUND. AND THIS IS WHERE I TOOK THIS PICTURE. THEY WERE ALL, UM, COLLECTING ACORNS AND LOOKING AT THE WEEVILS INSIDE OF THE ACORNS, AND THEY WERE PUTTING THEIR HEADS IN THE, THE HOLES OF THE TREES AND BALANCING ON THE, THE, THE BRANCHES OF THE TREES. AND, YOU KNOW, NATURE CAN JUST HAVE, HAS A WAY OF PROVIDING LOOSE PLAY THAT GIVES CHILDREN AN OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WITH IT. ARE THEY GONNA COLLECT LEAVES? ARE THEY GONNA, YOU KNOW, PUT THOSE LEAVES IN A PATTERN? WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO WITH IT? CAN SEE HERE IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER, ARE WE GONNA MAKE A MAZE OUT OF IT? IT'S UP TO UP TO THEM. UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, A PICTURE OF MAPLE SAMARAS. IF, IF YOU'VE NEVER BROKEN THOSE MAPLE SAMARAS IN HALF AND THROWN THEM UP IN THE AIR AND SEEN THE HELICOPTERS COME DOWN, THEN YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S AN EXPERIENCE THAT, UM, THAT EVERY CHILD SHOULD HAVE. YOU BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONNECTION WITH NATURE AND SEE THE FASCINATING THINGS THAT HAPPEN. AND THAT CAN HAPPEN IF WE PLAN CORRECTLY TO HAVE THOSE TYPES OF THINGS IN THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND THEM. BUT IF WE DON'T THINK ABOUT IT, THEN WE REMOVE THE ENTIRE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO USE THE, THE BENEFITS OF NATURAL ELEMENTS IN PLAY. SAND AND WATER ARE A HUGE PART OF THAT. UM, YOU SEE THE LOWER RIGHT HAND CORNER THERE, FINDING SNAILS, FINDING BUGS, THINGS LIKE THAT IS REALLY A GREAT EXPERIENCE TO, TO UNDERSTAND, UM, HOW NATURE WORKS AROUND THEM. I LOVE THE PICTURE IN THE UPPER RIGHT, YOU KNOW, PICKING FLOWERS IS NOT A BAD THING. I I ACTUALLY HOPE THAT CHILDREN ARE IN A, IN A PARK OR A PLACE SPACE AND THEY ARE EXPLORING WHAT THOSE FLOWERS ARE AND TAKING IT TO MOM AND SHOWING THEM, YOU KNOW, GIVING THEIR MOM THAT FLOWER AND SHOWING HOW PROUD THEY ARE TO GIVE THAT TO HER AND, AND TO EXPERIENCE WHAT THOSE PEDALS FEEL LIKE AND, AND, UM, AND JUST BE IN TUNE A LITTLE BIT WITH THOSE THINGS. THE, THE PART OF PLAY THAT ISN'T A PIECE OF PLAY EQUIPMENT THAT ISN'T SOLID AND STATIC. LOTS OF WAYS TO DO THIS, BY THE WAY. THEN JUST GIVING YOU A FEW EXAMPLES, SAME THING HERE. WE CAN INCORPORATE THOSE ELEMENTS INTO THIS SPACE, UM, WITH WHETHER IT'S LOGS THAT WERE, UM, SALVAGED FROM THE PROJECT ITSELF, OR WHETHER THEY'RE BOULDERS OR ROCKS THAT WE FIND ON THE SITE OR BRING IN, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER, BUT WAYS THAT WE CAN THEME IT AND GET CHILDREN INTERACTING WITH THAT SPACE IS REALLY IMPORTANT. OKAY, MAN, THAT WAS A WHIRLWIND, AND I APOLOGIZE I COULDN'T GO INTO THAT, THAT IN MORE DETAIL, BUT I REALLY WANT TO BRING UP, I'M GOING TO STOP SHARING MY SCREEN RIGHT NOW AND BRING UP THE, UM, THE PROJECT AND WALK YOU THROUGH HOW WE'VE INCORPORATED SOME OF THESE CONCEPTS INTO IT. SO TRICIA, IF YOU WANNA SHARE YOUR SCREEN AND MAYBE WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT, I CAN OPEN IT UP. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, I DON'T THINK SO. I THOUGHT YOU DID A GREAT JOB PRESENTING. I ACTUALLY WAS TAKING NOTES. I FEEL LIKE I LEARNED A LOT WHILE I WAS LISTENING. SO GOOD, GOOD. I MEAN, I, I'D LOVE TO SPEND TWO OR THREE HOURS WITH YOU, BUT I TRIED TO CRAM IT INTO HALF AN HOUR. NO, I, THAT'S WHY WE WERE REALLY ANXIOUS AND, AND HAPPY THAT, THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO, TO HAVE CHAD HERE AND, AND SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT, UH, THIS SUBJECT AND, AND THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS INTO THE PROJECTS THAT, UM, UM, I'LL SHARE MY SCREEN AND THEN I'LL HAVE YOU WALK THROUGH. AND SO, UM, I KNOW, UM, THIS, WE'VE GOT LIKE THE OVERALL HERE OF THIS AREA, THIS CONCENTRATED AREA BY THE PARKING LOT WITH OUR, UM, PLAY ACTIVITY HERE AND WITH THE SPLASH PAD. BUT, UM, I'LL HAVE CHAD HERE GO THROUGH THE SPECIFIC ELEMENTS AS IT, AS IT RELATES TO THIS PLAY AREA. OKAY. ARE, ARE WE READY? HAVE EVERY, EVERYBODY BUCKLED UP, READY TO GO? ? WE'RE READY. AWESOME. OKAY. WELL, LET, LET ME START OFF WITH THE CAVEAT THAT, UM, YEAH, THIS IS, THIS IS A DRAFT. UH, THERE ARE LOTS OF DETAILS THAT NEED TO BE DEVELOPED AS WE GET INTO, UH, THE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS, BUT, UM, THESE ARE, THESE ARE GENERAL CONCEPTS OF THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO, TO GET THE IDEA IN FRONT OF YOU, GET SOME BUY-IN OR MAKE SOME CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS SO THAT WE CAN GET INTO THE REALLY NITTY GRITTY DETAILS. UM, A LOT OF, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, BUT IN, IN GENERAL, THE CONCEPT HERE, WE'RE GONNA START AS IF WE WERE WALKING INTO THE PLAY SPACE. AND SO YOU'RE COMING OFF OF THE, OUT OF THE PARKING LOT INTO THE, INTO THE, THE PLAYGROUND. THERE'S A GATE THERE. UM, WE'VE SHOWN A, A, A FENCE ALL THE WAY AROUND FOR THE SAME PURPOSES THAT I SHARED EARLIER. UH, BUT WE REALLY, WE REALLY NEED TO BE ABLE TO CONFINE THAT SPACE TO, TO ALLOW FAMILIES TO BE IN THERE AND BE ABLE TO DO SO [00:35:01] WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT WHERE THOSE KIDS ARE GONNA GO. ESPECIALLY WITH THE, UM, THAT RIPARIAN AREA THAT YOU HAVE GOING THROUGH THIS, THIS PROJECT. UM, YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THOSE KIDS AREN'T GOING TO GET CAUGHT UP IN ANY, UM, WATER, UM, IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION DOWN THERE. SO, SO YOU COME IN AND THEN IF YOU WERE, AS IF YOU WERE WALKING THROUGH, IF YOU LOOK TO THE LEFT, THEN THAT WOULD BE THE TWO TO 5-YEAR-OLD AREA, AND THEN TO THE RIGHT WOULD BE THE FIVE TO 12-YEAR-OLD AREA. AND THAT'S REALLY BASED OFF OF NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR SIZES OF CHILDREN. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT A, YOU KNOW, A 6-YEAR-OLD OR A 10-YEAR-OLD COULDN'T GO WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR LITTLE SIBLING TO THE TWO TO FIVE AREA. THE, THE PRODUCT IS ROBUST AND, AND FINE FOR EVERYBODY TO PLAY THERE. IT JUST MEANS THAT A PARENT SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT A TWO TO 5-YEAR-OLD IS, IS MORE APPROPRIATE TO BE PLAYING ON THE LEFT SIDE THAN THEY WOULD BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. GO WITH THEM AND HANG OUT WITH THEM IF YOU'RE GONNA TAKE A 2-YEAR-OLD TO THE FIVE TO 12 SIDE. SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF THE IDEA BEHIND THE GUIDELINES, IS JUST FOR PARENTS TO KNOW HOW THINGS WERE DEVELOPED BECAUSE OF SAFETY STANDARDS. UM, SO IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE GOING INTO THE RIGHT, OR IF YOU'RE GOING TO THE LEFT INTO THE TWO TO FIVE AREA, THE FIRST THING YOU'RE GONNA SEE THERE IS, UM, SOME SWING SETS. AND THEY'RE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED SWING SETS. THERE'S, UM, ONE SEAT THAT IS DESIGNED FOR A PARENT AND A TODDLER TO SWING TOGETHER, AND THEY CAN GO BACK AND FORTH AND NOT A, NOT A SWING WHERE A PARENT IS STANDING BEHIND THEM AND PUSHING THEM, BUT ONE THAT THEY CAN SIT ON WITH THEM. AND THE PURPOSE THERE IS FOR WHAT'S CALLED AFFECT ATTUNEMENT. AND IF YOU'VE EVER, EVER HELD A LITTLE, A BABY, AN INFANT IN YOUR ARMS, AND, UM, THEY KIND OF, SOMETIMES THEY'LL JUST STARE AT YOU AND THEY'LL PROBABLY WIN THAT STARING CONTEST AND TO THE POINT WHERE YOU ALMOST FEEL LIKE IT'S AWKWARD. YOU'RE LIKE, AH, I'M GONNA LOSE. UM, BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY A PHYSICAL BOND THAT'S HAPPENING IN THEIR BRAINS WITH THE, THE ADULT DURING THAT PERIOD OF EYE CONTACT. AND SO THAT DOES, THAT SWING HAS BEEN DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT PURPOSE OF CREATING BONDS WHILE YOU'RE SWINGING, RATHER THAN YOU BEING BEHIND THEM AND NOT SEEING THEIR FACE AND NOT BEING ABLE TO INTERACT WITH THEM. YOU'RE SWINGING WITH THEM AND THAT EYE CONTACT IS POSSIBLE. UM, ALSO HAVE A, A TODDLER SWING THAT YOU COULD, IF YOU WANTED TO SEPARATE OUT AND LET THEM SWING OR A DISC SWING WHERE YOU CAN, UM, PUT THEM ON THERE AND THEY WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAVE POSTURAL STRENGTH. YOU CAN JUST LAY THEM IN THERE. IT'S VERY SOCIAL. THREE OR FOUR KIDS CAN LAY IN THERE TOGETHER AND SWING BACK AND FORTH. VERY, VERY FUN EXPERIENCE. UM, AND IF WE GO JUST A LITTLE BIT TO THE, THE, OR I PLAN NORTH SO UPWARD, UM, FROM THERE, UM, TO THE LEFT THERE WITH YOUR CURSOR, TRICIA, THE CIRCLES MM-HMM . THERE'S A COUPLE OF SPINNERS, THERE'S A SPINNER IN THERE, AND THE SPINNER IS, UM, IT'S A SMALL ONE FOR SMALLER KIDS AND WOULDN'T REQUIRE A LOT OF POSTURAL SECURITY. UM, KIND OF LIKE THE ONE OF THOSE I SHOWED YOU WITH THE GREAT, THE, UH, GRADUATING LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY. IT'S ONE OF THE SIMPLER ONES. AND THEN RIGHT NEXT TO THAT, A HORSE ROCKER, UM, WITH A SEAT. SO YOU'RE GETTING DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXPERIENCES, RIGHT? YOU'RE GETTING SWINGING MOTION AND THEN YOU'RE GETTING SPINNING MOTION FOR THAT DIZZINESS EXPERIENCE, AND THEN YOU'RE GETTING A ROCKING MOTION. UM, AND THAT, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD HAVE A, A BACK ON IT TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR SOMEONE THAT'S NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO NECESSARILY HOLD THEMSELF UP. REALLY IMPORTANT FOR LITTLE KIDS. UM, AND THEN JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THAT, YOU SEE LIKE A, A GRAY SPOT. UH, THAT'S A CUTE, WE'LL SHOW YOU IMAGES OF WHAT THIS ALL LOOKS LIKE IN A SECOND. BUT, UM, THE, THAT'S LIKE A LITTLE SONGBIRD LOOKING THING. AND THIS IS THE COZY SPOT THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER WHERE IF A CHILD GETS, UM, TOO, THERE'S TOO MUCH SENSORY INPUT AND THEY NEED TO ESCAPE SOMEWHERE, WE WANT THEM TO ESCAPE, BUT WE DON'T WANT THEM TO GO AWAY FROM THE PLAY. WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO DECIDE, GO SOMEWHERE SAFE AND THEN DECIDE WHEN IT'S OKAY TO JUMP BACK IN, BUT NOT FEEL LIKE THEY'VE GOTTA GO ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE WHOLE PLAYGROUND OR ACROSS THE WHOLE PARK JUST TO GET BACK TO WHAT THE PLAY IS. SO IT'S RIGHT KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE, BUT IT'S SAFE AND IT'S, IT'S SECLUDED SO THAT THEY CAN, THEY CAN, UH, CHOOSE WHEN TO JUMP BACK IN. AND SO THIS IS ALL KIND OF A FLAT AREA THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW WHERE THIS IS ALL HAPPENING. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE WE WALKED IN, THERE'S A, A PLUS ONE, A PLUS TWO, A PLUS THREE, THAT'S THE MAIN WALKWAY THAT GOES IN BETWEEN THE TWO PLAYGROUNDS. AND THAT IS ACTUALLY A SLOW GRADE. IT'S NOT A RAMP BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT IT TO, TO BE HARD TO GET UP. WE JUST TAKE OUR TIME GETTING UP A SLOW WALKWAY, UM, UNTIL WE HIT FOUR FEET. UM, WHICH IS KIND OF THE, THE SPOT WHERE IT SPLITS OFF BETWEEN THE TWO TO FIVE AND THE FIVE TO 12. SO ON THE, THE LEFT SIDE AND THE RIGHT SIDE OF THAT WALKWAY ARE, IT'S LIKE A HILL THAT GOES DOWN, SO YOU GET UP HIGHER, [00:40:01] AND THEN THERE'S A HILL THAT GOES DOWN. AND SO RIGHT BELOW WHERE THAT CURSOR IS, UM, THERE'S A SLIDE KEEP GOING DOWN, TRICIA, UM, SOUTH OF THE, SOUTH OF THE, THE STEPS. YEAH, RIGHT THERE. SO THERE'S A SLIDE THAT GOES DOWN THE HILL. UM, AND WHAT'S COOL ABOUT THE EMBANKMENT SLIDE IS THAT, UM, YOU CAN GO DOWN THAT SLIDE AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S ONLY A FOOT ABOVE THE GROUND THE WHOLE TIME. EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE THREE, THREE AND A HALF FEET ABOVE THE, THE, THE GROUND, UM, YOU'RE NEVER MORE THAN 12 INCHES ABOVE THE GROUND, WHICH IS REALLY COOL. UM, AND THEN ALONG THAT SLOPE, THE, THAT HILL, THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ALLOW YOU TO CLIMB UP THAT HILL IF YOU HAVE THE MOBILITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. UM, IF YOU DON'T, UM, BUT THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE WE HAVE A A, WE STILL HAVE A STRUCTURE OVER THERE THAT, THAT WE CAN USE. UM, BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DISABILITIES, WHAT I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT IS WHEELCHAIRS AND AMBULATORY DEVICES. WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO BE THINKING IS ABOUT THE 99% OF OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES THAT DON'T HAVE A MOBILITY CHALLENGE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COGNITIVE DISABILITIES OF THE AUTISM SPECTRUM, SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDERS, AND THEY DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM CLIMBING UP THE HILLS. UM, SO WE NEED DIVERSITY, WE NEED THINGS FOR EVERYBODY TO BE DOING. SO, UM, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS FIND SOMETHING THAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE CAN DO TOGETHER. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. UM, WE DO SHOW A SET OF STAIRS COMING, UM, FROM THE FOREFOOT SECTION DOWN TO THE, THE, THE GROUND LEVEL. UM, AND THAT IS PRIMARILY FOR, UM, CHILDREN WHO, UM, DO HAVE MOBILITY, BUT ALSO FOR CARETAKERS AND, UH, FOR PARENTS WHO MAY PUT, SEND SOMEONE DOWN TO THE SLIDE ON THEIR OWN AND THEN NEED TO GET DOWN TO THE BOTTOM TO TO, TO CATCH THEM OR PICK THEM UP OR TO BRING THEIR WHEELCHAIR DOWN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. UM, SO WE'RE GIVING OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE TO GET DOWN THOSE SPACES SAFELY AND QUICKLY. AND THEN JUST TO THE LEFT AND NORTH OF THAT AREA RIGHT THERE, YEP. OH, TO THE RIGHT, THE, THE GRAY STRIPE, UM, THAT IS, IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY UNIQUE. UM, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING THERE IS A SENSORY WALL, AND WHEN I SAY SENSORY WALL, I'M TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THOSE SENSES THAT I, THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER. UM, SO THESE ARE REALLY KIND OF COOL. WE'LL SHOW YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT ONE LOOKS LIKE LATER. UM, BUT THEY'RE INTENDED PRIMARILY IN THIS CASE FOR THE TWO TO FIVE KIDS TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE, THE WORLD AROUND THEM A LITTLE BIT BETTER. AND I'M EXCITED TO SHOW THAT A PICTURE, AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, UM, LATER. BUT RIGHT NEXT TO THAT, UM, SO THAT'S ABOUT, UM, THREE AND A HALF FEET TALL RIGHT THERE. AND THEN YOU GO OVER, UM, AND THEN THERE'S AN ACCESS FROM THE THREE FOOT ELEVATION ONTO A TYPICAL STRUCTURE. UM, THIS ONE IN THIS CASE IS EVERYTHING'S KIND OF THEMED AROUND YOUR, UM, YOUR EQUESTRIAN AND NATIVE OR NATURAL TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT. AND SO THIS COULD BE A BINYA WOOD TYPE STRUCTURE THAT THEY COME ONTO. BUT THE IDEA HERE IS THAT WE'VE GOT, WE, WE'VE COME UP THREE FEET, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN MOST CHILDREN WITH A DISABILITY EVER GET IN A PLAYGROUND, UM, IN THEIR MOBILITY DEVICE. WE'RE THERE AND THEN WE GET INTO THE STRUCTURE, WE CAN GET EVEN HIGHER AND WE CAN GET TO THESE HIGHER SLIDES AND HIGHER DECKS WHERE THEY CAN LOOK OUT AND THEY CAN HAVE THIS EXPERIENCE OF BEING FOUR OR FIVE FEET HIGHER THAN EVERYTHING AROUND THEM, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING FOR THEM. AND THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE IS TO MAKE IT WORTH THEIR EFFORT TO GET UP TO THAT HEIGHT. AND SO, UH, WE WILL WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE, THE, UM, CLAY MANUFACTURERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THEY GET THERE, THERE ARE INTERESTING THINGS FOR THEM TO DO AND TO PARTICIPATE IN. UH, WE LOVE TO DO THINGS THAT ACTUALLY INCORPORATE PARTICIPATION FROM THE GROUND LEVEL AND THAT HEIGHT SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE ONES UP TOP AND THEY'RE TALKING TO THE CHILD BELOW AND THERE'S THIS BACK AND FORTH INTERACTION BETWEEN THEM. SO THAT'S KIND OF THAT TWO TO FIVE AREA. AND WHAT I SHOULD HAVE SHARED, I GUESS BEFORE WE GOT STARTED WITH THAT IS THE GREEN, THE GREEN IS ALL IN THE IDEA HERE AT LEAST, IS THAT THAT WOULD BE A, AN ARTIFICIAL TURF THAT IS RATED FOR ACCESSIBILITY. SO YOU CAN, YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE THAT AS A ALL-WEATHER SURFACE AND IT'S COMPLETELY ACCESSIBLE. UM, AND WE CAN INTEGRATE DIFFERENT COLORS AND THEMES AND, UM, IMAGERY INTO THAT WITH DIFFERENT COLORS OF TURF. SO YOU SEE LIKE THE BROWN CIRCLES AND THINGS, UM, THAT'S JUST A PLACEHOLDER RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY'RE VERY INTENTIONALLY PLACED. SO YOU'LL SEE THAT ANY AT THE BOTTOM OF ANYTHING WHERE THERE'S MOVEMENT, WE HAVE A DIFFERENT COLOR OF TURF. AND THE INTENTION THERE IS THAT PSYCHOLOGICALLY A CHILD WILL THINK TWICE WHEN THERE'S A CHANGE IN THE PATTERNS. AND THIS HAPPENS, YOU'LL NOTICE IT [00:45:01] WHEN WE, WHEN WE DO THIS, THAT, YOU KNOW, A CHILD MIGHT BE RUNNING AND THEN IT CHANGES AND THEY STOP. ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY DON'T KNOW, WELL, WHAT JUST CHANGED? OR THEY MIGHT BE FOLLOWING A PATH AND THEN IT CHANGES AND THEY STOP TO FIGURE OUT, OKAY, WELL WHY DID THIS, WHY DID THIS CHANGE? UM, SO FOR SAFETY PURPOSES AND FOR PERSONS WITH VISUAL DISABILITIES. UM, SO CONTRARY TO WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVE, IF YOU ARE BLIND, THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T SEE ANYTHING. THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WITH A A VISUAL DISABILITY CAN SEE LITTLE BITS, WHETHER IT'S REALLY TIGHT OR WHETHER IT'S BLURRY OR WHATEVER. AND SO A STARK CONTRAST BETWEEN AREAS THAT ARE DANGEROUS, WHERE PEOPLE ARE SPINNING OR MOVING, LIKE THE SWINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT'S IMP IMPORTANT TO HAVE A CHANGE IN THAT SURFACE. UM, A VISUAL CHANGE IN THAT SURFACE SO THAT THEY CAN SEE, UH, NOT TO GO IN THERE QUICKLY. THEY CAN TAKE THEIR TIME AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON. AM I MOVING TOO FAST OR, OR AM I DOING OKAY? NO, YOU'RE DOING GOOD. OKAY, AWESOME. I GET ALL WORKED UP. I START SWEATING 'CAUSE THIS IS SO MUCH FUN. , DO YOU WANT ME TO SHOW THE, SOME OF THIS MATERIAL, UM, CHAD AND, AND THEN WE CAN SWITCH BACK TO THE LARGER YEAH, YEAH, LET'S DO IT. OKAY, LET'S DO THAT. LET DO THAT ONE OF THAT SPECIFIC AREA. LET'S SHOW IT, LET'S DO THAT. LOSE IT. THERE YOU GO. SO I JUST WANTED TO GET YOU KIND OF EXCITED. I KNOW ON THE PLAN TOO, THERE'S A PLAN AND YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY SINCE WE ARE, WE'RE IN TEXAS, UH, SHAY THAT'S WHAT HE MENTIONED TOO, IS IMPORTANT. SO THERE IS AN OVERHEAD STRUCTURE THAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR, FOR THE ENTIRE SIDE, BUT THIS IS THAT WHOLE AREA HERE THAT HE, HE'S SPEAKING TO. UM, AND THIS IS THAT NICE FEATURE THAT HE, HE'S TALKING ABOUT THAT HAS A REFUSE, BUT ALSO HAS THAT NATIVE, THAT NATURE INSPIRED THEME, UH, THAT IS INCORPORATED INTO THE WHOLE DESIGN. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE KIND OF THE, THE SLOPE AND THE DOUBLE SLIDE HERE, AND YOU CAN START TO VISUALIZE THE, THE PATH SLOWLY COMING UP AND THEN HAVING IT WRAP AROUND. AND THEN THE IDEA IS AGAIN, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, HAVING THAT THREE FOOT LANDING TO COME UP AND WE'LL WORK WITH THE VENDOR AND OBVIOUSLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT APPROPRIATE ACCESS, UM, THAT ELEVATED ACCESS TO THE STRUCTURE. AND THEN ALL THESE DIFFERENT, TRICIA, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT SURE, YOU CAN, YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO GET IT INTO THE DESIGN IN TIME, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT ON THE SIDEWALK THERE'S THE CURB. YES, YOU CAN KINDA SEE A, A CURB ON THE, ON THAT SIDEWALK. AND THAT'S SUPER IMPORTANT BECAUSE ON A, IF YOU'RE COMING UP A, A SIDEWALK, UM, WITH A WALKER OR WITH A WHEELCHAIR OR ANY OTHER KIND OF AMBULATORY DEVICE, UM, IT WOULD BE REAL EASY TO ROLL OFF OF THAT HILL. AND SO WE DESIGNED THAT CURB INTO IT SO THAT YOU CAN'T ROLL OFF. UM, BUT THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE YOU DON'T SEE THE CURB BECAUSE IT, IT, IT'S NOT, IT, YOU WON'T TRIP ON IT BECAUSE IT'S THIS TURF GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP OF THAT, UM, OFF THAT CURB. SO IT'S A VERY, UH, WELL DESIGNED, UM, INTEGRATED FEATURE THAT PROTECTS PEOPLE. IT'S THOSE LITTLE DETAILS THAT REALLY MATTER . AND HERE'S A, AND HERE'S THAT WALL THAT HE HAD MENTIONED THAT HE, IF YOU WANTED TO SPEAK TO THIS SENSORY WALL, LIKE HOW COOL THAT IS. SO, YOU KNOW, THESE WALLS CAN BE DESIGNED FOR ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT SENSORY SYSTEMS I'M TALKING ABOUT. AND BUT THE, THE ONES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TYPICALLY WOULD THINK OF LIKE TEXTURE AND COLOR FOR SIGHT AND TOUCH. UM, BUT SOME OF 'EM THAT WE DON'T THINK ABOUT VERY MUCH ARE THE PROPRIOCEPTIVE SENSORY SYSTEM, WHICH IS, UM, LIKE IF YOU PUSH SOMETHING OR PULL SOMETHING, YOUR MUSCLES AND YOUR JOINTS FEEL THAT. AND IF YOU HAVE A SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER, THAT IS SUPER IMPORTANT. SO, UM, IF ANY OF YOU HAVE FRIENDS OR KNOW CHILDREN WHO ARE ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM, SOMETIMES THEY WILL FLAP, UM, OR SOMETIMES THEY WILL, UM, PURPOSELY RUN INTO WALLS OR RUN BIKES INTO WALLS. THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THAT PROPRIOCEPTIVE INPUT THAT THEY NEED MORE OF. AND SO LIKE THE, THE BUT OR THESE LITTLE BUGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT ARE ON THEM ARE ACTUALLY BUTTONS THAT YOU PUSH AND THEY'RE ON. SO THEY, YOU PUSH 'EM AND THEN, THEN THEY WILL SPRING BACK OUT OR THERE'S SOME OF THEM THAT YOU PULL. UM, SO THERE'LL BE A LITTLE HANDLE ON THEM AND YOU CAN PULL THEM AND SO YOU'RE GETTING THAT PROPRIOCEPTIVE EXPERIENCE. UM, WE ALSO LIKE TO STICK OUT SOME OF THOSE, UM, THOSE, UM, IN THIS CASE THEY'RE THE, THE BRAND OR THE ROOTS OF THE TREE OR WHATEVER, UM, TO ALLOW KIDS TO KIND OF CLIMB UP ON THEM AND TO, TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF THAT BALANCE IN, INTO THERE. SOMETIMES WE'LL PUT ROCKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT ALONG THE BOTTOM OF IT SO THEY CAN CLIMB UP TO SOME OF THOSE FEATURES OR, UM, OR PUT A, A STRIP ON THE TOP SO THEY CAN CLIMB ON THE TOP OF THAT WALL TO GET TO THAT BALANCE. [00:50:01] UM, EACH OF THESE LITTLE FEATURES ON HERE HAVE A DIFFERENT THING AND A DIFFERENT SENSORY SYSTEM THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS. SO LIKE THE, UH, UH, THE TOMBO, THE DRAGONFLY IN THE LEFT HAND CORNER, IT'S A MIRROR FINISH, SO YOU ACTUALLY SEE YOUR FACE REFLECTED IN IT IN DIFFERENT WAYS. UM, THE LITTLE, UM, THE, UH, THE SPINNER, THE, THE SNAIL IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER IS A SPINNER, UM, THAT HAS LIKE, SOUND IN IT. SO AS YOU TURN IT, IT'S KIND OF LIKE A RAIN, A RAINMAKER. UH, SO LOTS OF FUN LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WE CAN TAILOR TO A SPECIFIC PROJECT. AND THIS ONE JUST HAPPENS TO BE IN SOUTHERN OR KINDA MID CALIFORNIA, AROUND YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK. AND SO THE BUGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT ARE ALL KIND OF GEARED TOWARDS THAT. UM, THE FLORA AND FAUNA OF, OF THE YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK. HOW BIG ARE THE SENSORY WALLS TYPICALLY? OR HOW BIG IS THE ONE, UH, PROPOSED FOR OURS? THREE FEET TALL. THREE FEET, IS THAT WHAT IT SAID? THINK IT WAS. WHAT ABOUT 15 FEET, TRICIA? 15 FEET LONG AND ABOUT THREE FEET. THREE TO FOUR AT THE HIGHEST POINT. OKAY. AND IT DIES DOWN. YES. AND WE CAN, UM, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE, WE CAN ALSO HAVE, UM, FREE STANDING WALL, UM, PANELS, CORRECT? CHAD, IF I YEAH, YOU CAN HAVE, YOU CAN DO THAT TOO. PANELS THAT YOU COULD HAVE AND ADD IT IN IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. ALRIGHT, SO IF WE WERE TO GO RIGHT INSTEAD OF LEFT, THEN, UM, THE FIRST THING WE KIND OF COME ACROSS ARE TWO DIFFERENT, UM, SPINNERS THERE. UH, ONE'S A ONE IS A BINYA AT GRADE, YOU CAN, YOU CAN TAKE A WHEELCHAIR OR A WALKER. UM, SAY YOU'RE A GRANDPARENT AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT, YOU DON'T HAVE GREAT FOOTING, YOU'RE NOT VERY SURE OF THAT FOOTING. YOU DON'T WANT TO STEP UP INTO SOMETHING, IT'S ACTUALLY AT GRADE, AND SO YOU CAN JUST ROLL OR WALK RIGHT ONTO IT. UM, AND THEN ANOTHER TWISTER THAT'S A, A DIFFERENT TYPE OF SPINNER. UM, THERE'S A SEESAW THAT, THAT YOU CAN JO JUMP ON AND, UM, INTERACT SOCIALLY WITH OTHER KIDS. AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SEESAWS THAT WE HAD AS KIDS AND NOW, OR THAT THEY'RE, UM, THEY'RE MUCH MORE SOCIAL AND THERE'S BUCKET SEATS. SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE POSTURAL SECURITY, YOU CAN BE PLACED IN A SEAT AND BUCKLED IN AND YOU DON'T, YOU'RE NOT GONNA FALL OUT OR GET FINGERS PINCHED AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WE USED TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH AS, AS KIDS. UM, AND THEN TO THE RIGHT OF THAT IS, UH, COMMERCIAL RAIL RIDER. UM, SO THIS IS KIND OF LIKE A PLAYGROUND VERSION OF A ZIP LINE. UM, SO THAT'S A REALLY FUN FEATURE THAT MANY PEOPLE DON'T GET AT ALL. AND IT'S REALLY COOL TO BE ABLE TO, TO GET THAT KIND OF S SWISHING, UM, EXPERIENCE. AND YOU CAN SEE AGAIN WITH THE GROUND PLANE, WE'RE TRYING TO ISOLATE THAT, UM, TO HIGHLIGHT IT SO THAT, UM, PEOPLE DON'T WALK IN RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT, UH, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THAT AS IT'S KIND OF CRUISING DOWN THE DOWN THE LINE. AND THEN TO THE RIGHT OF THAT IS A SIMILAR, THE, THE, THE, UM, THE SWINGS, UH, WITH THE BUCKET SEATS SO THAT, UM, ANYBODY CAN, CAN SIT IN THOSE, EVEN IF THEY DON'T, IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO HOLD ONTO THE CHAINS OR WHATEVER. UM, AND THEN THE DISC SWINGS. SO THAT MAN, I'VE, I'VE SEEN SOME OF THOSE DISC SWINGS WHERE THERE'S 15 KIDS HANGING ON THAT THING AND YOU WONDER, YOU'RE HOPING IT'S NOT GONNA BREAK, BUT THEY'RE HAVING SO MUCH FUN, UM, IN THAT SOCIAL ASPECT OF IT. UM, AND THEN WHEN WE GO BACK TO THE MAIN CENTRAL AREA THERE, RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF ALL OF, UM, GO UP TO THE RIGHT, YEP, RIGHT THERE, RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE ANOTHER COZY SPACE, BUT THIS COZY SPACE IS, UM, IT'S, UH, KIND OF HI HIDDEN IN A WAY THAT IT'S PART OF A LARGER HORSE SHAPED STRUCTURE. SO, UM, IT'S RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THE PLAY AND YET IT'S A SAFE SPACE WHERE THEY CAN GO AND THEY CAN HIDE AND THEY CAN GET BACK INTO PLAY. I ACTUALLY TOOK A PHOTO ONE TIME OF MY SON WHEN HE WAS IN A PLAY SPACE. I WAS ON THE TOP DECK AND I WAS LOOKING FOR HIM. I COULDN'T FIND HIM, AND I, AND I LOOKED OVER TO THE EDGE AND I FOUND HIM AND THE ONLY PLACE WHERE HE COULD HIDE, HE, HE WAS KIND OF A REALLY SHY KID AND THAT JUST TOO MUCH INPUT REAL QUICK. THE ONLY PLACE HE COULD HIDE WAS RIGHT BEHIND ONE OF THOSE TEENY LITTLE FOUR INCH POLES. AND SO HE WAS HUGGING THAT POLE AND KIND OF HAD HIS HEAD TILTED TO LOOK AROUND IT AND IT JUST, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT WE REALLY NEED A SPACE LIKE THIS. AND YOU'LL SEE IT IN A SECOND WHERE THEY CAN GO AND, AND SELF-REGULATE SO THAT, THAT, UM, KIND OF IS CONNECTED TO A LARGER STRUCTURE THAT WE WILL WORK WITH THE, THE DEVELOPER OR THE, UH, [00:55:01] THE PLAY MANUFACTURER TO GET THIS TO WORK CORRECTLY. UH, HOW IT'S SHOWN RIGHT NOW ISN'T PERFECT. WE'LL WORK THROUGH THE DETAILS, BUT WE WANNA BE ABLE TO CONNECT THEM AT THE THREE FOOT STAGE FROM THE MAIN CORRIDOR AND AT THE FOUR FOOT STAGE, UM, ON THE OTHER SIDE SO THAT THEY CAN CONNECT, UM, FROM BOTH SIDES AND EXPERIENCE THAT, UM, IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND BE ABLE TO GET A LITTLE BIT HIGHER EVEN ONCE THEY'RE OFF OF THAT MAIN, MAIN LOCATION. UM, SO THAT IS THE WAY THAT THEY CURRENTLY HAVE IT SHOWN IS KIND OF LIKE A CASTLE, A UH, BINYA WOOD STRUCTURE THAT LIKE HAVE CASTLE THEME. WE'LL, WE'LL ADJUST THAT THEME A LITTLE BIT TO MATCH MORE OF YOUR, UM, COMMUNITY WHERE WE'VE GOT A HORSE AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TWO HORSES, ACTUALLY ONE ROCKER AND THEN ONE OF THIS OTHER STRUCTURE. AND WE'VE GOT HAY BALES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO MAYBE THIS WILL BE MORE LIKE A, UM, A BARN LOOK TO IT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT JUST TO, TO MATCH THE THEME A LITTLE BIT BETTER. BUT IN THAT STRUCTURE ITSELF IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF THOSE PLAY FEATURES THAT, UM, KIDS WILL NEED TO GET TO WHEN THEY'RE, UH, WHEN THEY'RE AT THE HIGHEST PART, RIGHT? THAT'S WHERE EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE AND WHERE THEY'RE THE MOST SOCIAL. SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE THINGS THEY HAVE TO DO WHEN THEY GET UP THERE ARE INTERESTING AND ENGAGING. UM, AND THEN YOU HAVE THAT THIS WHOLE TIME YOU'VE GOT THAT HILL COMING DOWN. AND SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS ON THOSE HILLS, LIKE THE, THE HORSESHOE SHAPED THINGS THAT WE, YOU SEE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE. THOSE ARE JUST CLIMBERS THAT, UM, WILL HELP WITH THE THEMING AND MAKE IT INTERESTING TO TRY AND GET UP A HILL EASIER TO GET UP THAT LITTLE SECTION. UM, AND THEN TRISHA WAS JUST HIGHLIGHTING THE, THE ROLLER SLIDE THAT COMES DOWN. ROLLER SLIDES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO CHILDREN WITH COCHLEAR IMPLANTS BECAUSE THEY'RE, UM, METAL SLIDES AND THE METAL, UM, METAL DOESN'T, UM, CREATE THE STATIC THAT BLOWS OUT THEIR COCHLEAR IMPLANTS. SO WE NEED OPTIONS FOR CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO NOT GO DOWN A PLASTIC SLIDE. SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE OPTIONS. UM, WE ALSO NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT THIS, BUT IF YOUR SLIDE, UM, THOSE, THOSE IMPLANTS ARE ALSO MAGNETIC, AND SO IF YOU DON'T USE THE RIGHT KIND OF STEEL, THEN IT CAN SUCK THE COCHLEAR IMPLANT OUT OF THEIR EARS AND IT STICKS TO THE, TO THE METAL. SO WE NEED TO, WE DO THAT A LOT. WE WORK WITH THE MANUFACTURERS THAT DO THIS CORRECTLY WITH A SPECIFIC TYPE OF STAINLESS STEEL THAT'S NOT MAGNETIC SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM. UM, AND THESE SLIDES, THEY HAVE A TRANSITION AT THE TOP AND THEY HAVE A TRANSITION AT THE BOTTOM THAT, UM, ELEVATES IT. SO YOU CAN GET OUT OF A WHEELCHAIR OR IF LIKE A GRANDPARENT HAS A WALKER OR SOMETHING, THEY CAN TRANSITION ONTO THAT PLATFORM WITHOUT HAVING TO GET ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE GROUND. SUPER IMPORTANT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A PARENT WHO'S TRYING TO LIFT A KID OUT OF A WHEELCHAIR OR AN ADULT WHO WANTS TO GO DOWN IT, BUT THEY, THEY HAVE A HARD TIME, BAD KNEES, WHATEVER. THIS MAKES IT SO MUCH EASIER FOR EVERYBODY. AND THEN WHEN YOU HIT THE BOTTOM, THERE'S A, A PLATFORM THAT YOU KIND OF JUST SCOOT OFF TO THE SIDE AND KEEP, KIDS CAN KEEP GOING DOWN IT, BUT THEN YOU CAN TRANSITION OFF OFF OF IT AS WELL. UM, I FAILED TO MENTION THIS, BUT YOU'LL NOTICE THAT ON THE OTHER TWO TO FIVE AREA THERE'S A DOUBLE SLIDE. UM, AND THAT WAS INTENTIONAL. NO, THE OTHER RIGHT THERE ON THE STRUCTURE ITSELF, YOU CAN SEE, UH, RIGHT THERE, YEAH, THERE'S TWO SLIDES AND THAT'S ANOTHER, ANOTHER WAY THAT WE PRESCRIBE OR IT, WE WE'RE NOT INSISTING, BUT WE'RE GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO DO THINGS IN TANDEM WITH OTHER KIDS. UM, I HAVE A REALLY CUTE PICTURE OF ONE KID TRYING TO GO UP AND ONE HOLDING THE HAND OF ANOTHER ONE THAT'S GOING DOWN THE SLIDE. AND IT'S, IT'S JUST ADORABLE BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE FIGURING OUT HOW THIS ISN'T GONNA WORK, BUT THEY'RE FIGURING IT OUT TOGETHER. UM, SO THAT'S, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO, TO THINK ABOUT THOSE KINDS OF THINGS AS WELL. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO, TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, TRICIA, THE EXISTING TREES OVER THERE TO THE RIGHT THAT WE'RE WORKING AROUND A GROUP OF TREES THERE. UM, AND THE, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF WALL WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE TO PROTECT THOSE TREES SO THAT THEY, NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL, UM, SHADE FROM THOSE TREES, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE THAT NATURAL ELEMENT THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT WHERE WE WANNA REALLY PRESERVE THAT WITHIN THE PLAYGROUND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S, YOU KNOW, OAKS OR, OR WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF SHRUBS AND THINGS THAT, THAT WE CAN PUT IN THERE. I JUST LOVE THE FACT THAT A, A LITTLE TWIG FOR A KID RUNNING AROUND THE PLAYGROUND CAN BECOME A FISHING POLE. IT CAN BECOME A, A WAND, A A MAGIC WAND. IT CAN BECOME A SWORD. IT'S THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT IT, IT CAN BE ANYTHING WHEN IT'S NATURE, BUT WHEN IT'S A SWORD, IT'S A LITTLE HARDER TO TURN, HARDER TO TURN IT INTO A FISHING POLE. SO NATURE'S FANTASTIC AND [01:00:01] WE'VE PRESERVED ALL THE WAY AROUND THE PLAY SPACE, UM, A A BED OF LANDSCAPE THAT CAN INCORPORATE SOME OF THOSE THINGS SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE THE PLAYGROUND TO FIND SOME OF THOSE PLAY PIECES. AND THE LAST THING I THINK I WOULD MENTION IS JUST IN THE, THAT FOUR FOOT AREA BETWEEN THE TWO PLAYGROUNDS. WE'VE GOT SOME EQUIPMENT THERE FOR YOU MADE IT UP TO THAT FOUR FOOT SPOT IN BETWEEN. IT'S A FUN PLACE TO BE. THERE'S SOME, UM, FLOWER CHIMES UP THERE THAT ARE, UM, INTERESTING AND FUN TO BE. IT COULD BE ANY TYPE OF, OF MUSICAL EQUIPMENT. WE WANNA KEEP IT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AWAY FROM ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING BECAUSE IF, IF YOU HAVE A SMALL LIMITATION OR YOU CAN ONLY HANDLE A LITTLE BIT OF SENSORY INPUT AND THERE'S MUSICAL EQUIPMENT EVERYWHERE IN THE PLAYGROUND, THEN YOU CAN'T GO ANYWHERE BECAUSE EVERYWHERE YOU GO, YOU'RE OVER OVERBURDENED WITH THAT NOISE. SO WE TRY TO KEEP THAT IN ONE SPOT. AND SO THAT LITTLE AREA AT THE TOP, THERE CAN, CAN BE A FUN LITTLE SPACE FOR US TO CREATE LIKE A MUSICAL NOOK OR A LITTLE MUSICAL CORNER WHERE KIDS CAN DO THE, DO THINGS LIKE THAT. UM, WHY DON'T YOU FLIP OVER TO THE IMAGES, TRISHA. WE CAN SHOW HOW THAT SPACE MIGHT LOOK. THERE WE GO. LOOK HOW FUN THAT PLACE IS GONNA BE. MM-HMM . AND HERE'S THAT WALKWAY HE WAS, UH, SPEAKING OF EARLIER, SO THAT YOU'VE GOT, UM, THAT SECURITY, UM, TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T ROLL OFF ON THE SIDES. BUT AGAIN, UM, ALL THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS OF PLAY. UM, AND I THINK, YEAH, IF WE CAN HAVE THE ABILITY TO CREATE MORE, UM, VARIETY IN THE SURFACING AND THE COLORS, I THINK WE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THIS. BUT YES, THESE ARE JUST PLACEHOLDERS. SO I, I WANTED TO KEY INTO THIS PARTICULAR ICON THAT WE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING OFF OF IT FOR A WHILE. I KNOW THIS WAS, UM, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE HAD SHOWN YOU, BUT UH, THIS AGAIN IS A PLACE WHERE HOLDER, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, WILL WORK, UH, DILIGENTLY WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THIS IS WHAT THEIR CURRENT RESPECT IS NOW, BUT THEY'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH US TO MAKE SURE THAT IT, IT TIES INTO THAT HORSE RANCH BARN, UM, THEME THAT WE'RE GOING FOR. THAT'S REALLY COOL. I LIKE THE, THE HORSE, IT'S VERY EYE CATCHING FOCAL POINT. MM-HMM . IT'S GOT PLAY ACTIVITY, BUT ALSO HAS THAT RESPITE AREA THAT HE WAS SPEAKING OF AS WELL. AND THEN THE SAME THING WITH THE FENCING. IT, IT'S REAL, UM, THOUGHTFUL AND, AND MAKING SURE IT'S KEEPING WITH THE SAME OFFICE OF THE SECURITY, BUT ALSO IN KEEPING WITH THE, UM, OVERALL AESTHETIC. MM-HMM . ANOTHER VIEW ON THIS SIDE, UM, I KNOW WE'VE SHOWN DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR THIS, BUT I KNOW WE COULD SWITCH THESE OUT FOR SOME OF THOSE MORE. UM, THERE'S DIFFERENT PIECES THAT WE CAN SWITCH THIS OUT. WE'LL WORK WITH CHAD TO ENSURE, DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY MM-HMM . AND THEN HERE'S, UM, WE CAN MAKE THIS INTO MORE OF LIKE A SEAT WALL SO THERE'S MORE SEATING OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL. PERFECT. OH YEAH, THAT WOULD BE COOL. YEAH, I THINK THERE'S SOME DETAILS THAT WE STILL NEED TO WORK THROUGH THINGS LIKE BENCHES FOR, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES OR PARENTS OR WHATEVER WHO WANNA SIT DOWN AND, AND NEED A LITTLE CHANCE TO RELAX. YOU KNOW, THERE'S AREAS WE CAN PUT THOSE IN, SPACES WHERE THEY CAN SEE AND HAVE ALL THE VISIBILITY THEY NEED, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE NEXT TO THE ENTRY SO THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN CATCH A CHILD THAT THEY'RE GONNA TRY AND RUN AWAY, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. BUT THOSE ARE ALL DETAILS THAT, THAT WE STILL NEED TO WORK OUT. AND THEN THERE'S AN AREA DEFENSE FOR RESTROOMS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. CORRECT. SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME, I'M SORRY. OUT OUTSIDE OF THE SPACE, WILL THERE BE, UH, RESTROOM AREA? SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ONE THAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE BY THE SPLASH PAD, BUT, UM, AND THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE CAN TALK THROUGH WITH YOU, WHETHER, UM, THERE'S SPACE TO DO A SECONDARY ONE, BUT CURRENTLY WE HAVE IT ON, ON THE OTHER SIDE. YES. A LARGER RESTROOM, YOU KNOW, THE SPLASH FAT AREA. OKAY. I THINK IT LOOKS GOOD. I DO TOO. I THINK IT'S AMAZING. YEAH. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR EXPLANATION OF EVERYTHING. UM, I'M A, I'M AN ELEMENTARY TEACHER, SO JUST HEARING HOW YOU WERE VERY THOUGHTFUL AND WHAT YOU'RE DESIGNING, WHICH JUST MADE MY HEART HAPPY. , I PICTURES, I'M GLAD SEVERAL STUDENTS LOVING IT AND FEELING SAFE AND I, THAT'S MY FAVORITE PART. MM-HMM . YEAH. THAT'S WHAT WE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE IS A SPACE WHERE ANYBODY CAN PLAY AND ENJOY THAT WHAT PLAY AFFORDS US, RIGHT? [01:05:01] MM-HMM . PLAY. PLAY IS SUPER IMPORTANT IN HOW WE DEVELOP AND YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE GOING TO SCHOOL TO PLAY, BUT WE SURE LEARN A LOT WHEN WE PLAY. MM-HMM . ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. THAT'S, THOSE ARE KIND, KIND OF IMAGES OF WHAT ALL THOSE THINGS LOOK LIKE ON THEIR OWN. YEAH. AWESOME. AND THESE AGAIN, ARE NO, ABSOLUTELY. LET US KNOW IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AND UM, I HAVE A, YOU KNOW, WEEKLY CALLS, BIWEEKLY CALLS WITH KURT. SO IF ANY OTHER COMMENTS THAT I, THESE, PASS IT ALONG AND WE'LL MAKE ADJUSTMENTS. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE APPRECIATE YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU. THANKS FOR INVITING ME. SUPER HAPPY TO BE WITH ALL OF YOU, . AWESOME. WELL THANKS GUYS. WE APPRECIATE IT. MM-HMM . BYE. THANK YOU. BYE. BYE MAN. I LOVE IT WHEN PEOPLE LOVE THEIR JOBS. YES. , THAT WAS MY SUCH A PLEASURE. IT WAS SO EXCITING. YEAH. I LEARNED SO MUCH ON THAT. I, I MEAN I WAS FOR REAL, TAKING NOTES, WRITING STUFF DOWN. OKAY. I JUST, THAT MADE ME HAPPY. UM, OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO UPDATES ON BOARD MEMBER ATTENDANCE. ALRIGHT. SO WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS AT THE LAST MEETING. MM-HMM . UM, I WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT SOME OF THE ATTENDANCE OF THIS BOARD AND SOME OF THE OTHER BOARDS. I LOOKED AT THE HOME ROLL CHARTER, UM, THE REQUIREMENTS AND TALKED TO OUR CITY MANAGER ON WHAT'S THE BEST WAY IN HIS OPINION TO UM, LET EVERYBODY KNOW AND, AND TO HANDLE THIS IF THERE IS AN ISSUE. UM, AND THEN I TALKED TO A COUPLE BOARD MEMBERS, COMMISSION MEMBERS FOR, FROM SOME OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND I REALIZED THAT A LOT OF THEM DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT. SO THERE'S A LETTER IN FRONT OF YOU THAT I SENT OUT IN THE MAIL. MM-HMM . UM, EMAIL ALSO PUT IT IN FRONT OF YOU IN CASE YOU DON'T CHECK YOUR MAIL, YOUR HUSBAND CHECKS YOUR MAIL AND THROWS EVERYTHING AWAY. , UM, JUST IN CASE. BUT, SO WE'RE GONNA PICK THIS UP STARTING WITH THE NEXT MEETING. THAT WAY YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT EVERYBODY'S AWARE. I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ THE, THE WHAT IT SAYS IN THE HOMEWORK CHARTER. IT SAYS IF ANY BOARD, COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE MEMBER FAILS TO ATTEND THREE CONSECUTIVE REGULAR MEETINGS OF A BOARD COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE UPON WHICH THE MEMBER SERVES, OR 25% OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF REGULAR MEETINGS HELD IN A 12 MONTH PERIOD, SUCH MEMBER SHALL BE SUBJECT TO REMOVAL UNLESS EXCUSED BY THE MAJORITY VOTE OF THE APPLICABLE BOARD, COMMISSION AND OR COMMITTEE. SO OF COURSE, IF YOU KNOW YOU'RE GONNA BE ABSENT IN ADVANCE, LET ME KNOW. LET ME KNOW AS SOON AS YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE ENOUGH THAT'S GONNA BE ABSENT, MAYBE WE CAN JUST RESCHEDULE THE MEETING OR MAYBE WE CANCEL THAT MEETING TO KEEP OTHER PEOPLE FROM LEAVING WORK EARLY OR DRIVING 15 MILES TO GET HERE TO NOT KNOWING WE WEREN'T GONNA HAVE A MEETING. MM-HMM . UM, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK COULD BE EXCUSED, WE'LL ADD IT TO, SHE'S OBVIOUSLY GOT AN, A GOOD EXCUSE IN THE NEXT UPCOMING COUPLE MONTHS. UM, WE'LL ADD IT TO THE NEXT MEETING THAT YOU WILL BE BACK AND THEN WE'LL LET THE BOARD OKAY. DECIDE IF IT CAN BE EXCUSED OR NOT. SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, TRY TO ANSWER THIS. SO I DO HAVE A QUESTION. UM, TO ME IT'S KINDA LIKE THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. UM, HOW DO WE, OR ARE YOU SAYING WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD IN TERMS OF AT THE NEXT MEETING? 'CAUSE WE'VE HAD MEMBERS THAT, UM, BECAUSE I GUESS THIS ISN'T OUR FIRST TIME DISCUSSING IT, AND SO ARE WE ABLE TO MAKE A, A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD SO WE CAN KIND BE DONE WITH THE CONVERSATION, IF THAT MAKES SENSE OR YEAH, WE, UM, WE, I TALKED TO THE SENIOR MANAGER, WE ALSO TALKED TO OUR ATTORNEY AND SHE SAYS IT'S BEST TO BE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS AWARE OF THE REQUIREMENTS FIRST. MM-HMM . OKAY. UM, WE LOOKED AT SOME OF THE ATTENDANCE AND IF WE LOOKED AT IT AS IT IS, WE COULD HAVE LOST BOARD BOARD MEMBERS AND WE DON'T WANNA DO THAT. WE WANNA BE ABLE TO HAVE MEETINGS. SO, UM, WE THOUGHT THAT WAS THE BEST WAY AT THIS MOMENT WAS TO, UM, START WITH THE NEXT MEETING IN JUNE. START FRESH MAY. YEAH. START FRESH IN JUNE AND UM, GIVE EVERYBODY THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AWARE. OKAY. AND YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU KNEW THE REQUIREMENTS, MAYBE YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU COULD REQUEST TO BE EXCUSED. MM-HMM . SO, AND I'LL HAVE TO MAKE SURE, 'CAUSE I DID HAVE ONE BOARD MEMBER NOT HERE THAT, UH, REACHED OUT TO ME YESTERDAY. OKAY. AND SO I'LL HAVE TO MAKE SURE TO GET WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT I CAN FORWARD THOSE ALONG JUST IN CASE IF THEY DON'T CONTACT YOU, IT DOESN'T MATTER AS LONG AS IT'S PROBABLY YOU OR ME THAT, THAT YOU GUYS CAN CONTACT. WE'LL COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER. IF I'M AWARE OF ONE, I'LL LET YOU KNOW. AND IF YOU'RE AWARE OF ONE, YOU CAN LET ME KNOW. OKAY. THAT WAY WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE. YEAH. IF IT GETS TO THAT POINT [01:10:01] WHERE WE HAVE TO POSSIBLY VOTE SOMEBODY OUT, DOES THAT MEAN THAT THE A ALTERNATIVE, THE ALTERNATES ARE THE NEXT CHOICE? OR IS IT LIKE APPLICATIONS FOR MEMBERS AT THAT POINT? THAT'S UP TO YOU GUYS. UM, YEAH, YOU CAN MAKE A RE THE CITY COUNCIL ACTUALLY HAS THE LAST, THE SAY AND IF SOMEBODY WOULD BE REMOVED OR, OR APPOINTED OR MOVED UP FROM ALTERNATE TO A, A REGULAR MEMBER. BUT YOU WOULD MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION. YEAH. IF YOU'VE GOT A, AN ALTERNATE BOARD MEMBER THAT'S GOT GOOD ATTENDANCE, THEN OBVIOUSLY, I MEAN, I THINK WE KIND OF ESSENTIALLY DID THAT ALREADY, SO YEAH. SOMETHING MAKES SENSE. OKAY. UM, KURT, DO WE HAVE ANY UPDATES ON PARK CONSTRUCTION? YEAH, SO, UH, WE'RE ANTICIPATING VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK TO BE FINISHED. UM, THE SPECIFIC END DATE SHOWS MID-JUNE. UH, WE'RE HOPING TO SEE A LOT MORE PROGRESS HERE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, UH, WHERE JUNE IS REALLY JUST GONNA BE A CLEANUP AND KIND OF FINALIZE A FEW ITEMS. UM, WE DID HAVE THE BALLARDS, UH, DELIVERED, SO THOSE ARE READY TO GO. WE'RE JUST KIND OF WAITING ON WEATHER TO COOPERATE WITH US A LITTLE BIT MORE. MM-HMM . UM, WINDRIDGE PARK, WE ARE LOOKING TO, UH, SEND THAT OUT FOR BID. I BELIEVE IT'S LATE THIS MONTH. UH, AND THEN I THINK THE HOPE IS TO GET THAT IN FRONT OF CITY COUNCIL FOR A BID OF WORDLE IN JUNE. UH, AND THEN LASTLY, HIGH MEADOW PARK, UH, IS MOVING ALONG VERY WELL. THEY'VE ALREADY POURED ALL THE CONCRETE AT THIS POINT. THEY'RE JUST IN A HOLDING PATTERN UNTIL ALL OF THE PLAY EQUIPMENT IS DELIVERED. I THINK IT'S ABOUT A SIX TO 12 WEEK LEAD TIME ON THAT, UH, THAT WAS ORDERED RIGHT WHENEVER THE PROJECT HAD BEEN STARTED. SO WE'RE EXPECTING THAT TO BE DELIVERED HERE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. UM, BUT YEAH, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT WITH OUR PARKS. UM, I WAS GOING TO BRING UP, IF YOU, IF Y'ALL HAVEN'T SEEN THE PARK, UH, THAT WE JUST OPENED, I CAN'T EVEN THINK IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. MATTHEW'S PARK. THANK YOU. IT IS AWESOME. I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WHEN I GOT TO LIKE ACTUALLY WALK THROUGH IT AND SEE IT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE BACKGROUND OF LIKE DOWNTOWN, THERE'S LIKE THIS RUSTIC AND THEN MODERN CONTRAST. IT'S REALLY COOL. AND I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO, MOVING FORWARD WHEN WE DO HAVE THESE PARK OPENINGS, I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE LIKE WE DID BEFORE, KIND OF PUT OUT ANNOUNCEMENT AND HAVE OUR BOARD TO BE THERE FOR THESE OPENINGS TO KIND OF BE ABLE TO WALK THROUGH AND SEE IT TOGETHER. MM-HMM . UM, I'D LIKE TO JUST KIND OF PUT THAT OUT THERE AND JUST SAY LIKE, IF WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT WE EXIST AND HOPEFULLY WANNA BE MORE INVOLVED, UH, IN OTHER WAYS AS WELL. MAKE IT A PARTY. YEAH. , I LIVE IN THAT AREA. MY KIDS GREW UP ON THERE, GETTING OVER THERE OVER YEARS IN, IN AUGUST. CONGRATULATIONS. AND IT'S A GREAT PARK TOO. IT'S REALLY COOL. THERE ARE SO MANY KIDS OVER THERE NOW AND I THINK IT'S JUST BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS THERE. IT WAS THERE. SO WE WALKED THROUGH THERE ALMOST EVERY NIGHT. YEAH. WE'RE SO HAPPY TO SEE IT. IT IS. THE COLORS ARE AWESOME. IT'S JUST THAT'S WHAT I SAID, THE VERY FIRST BULLET ONE. YEAH. PERFECT. THOSE COLORS ARE SO GREAT. IT'S A REALLY GREAT PARK. DID WELL. AWESOME. OKAY. UM, NEW ITEMS, [New Business] CONSIDERATION AND ACTION. ON MINUTES OF APRIL 1ST BOARD MEETING, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE APRIL BOARD MEETING. DOES ANYBODY SECOND THAT MOTION? I'LL SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR. HERE WE GO. WE'RE GOOD TO GO. ALL RIGHT. UH, COUNCIL AND BOARD MEMBERS, CITY AND STAFF CITIZENS MAY REQUEST ITEMS TO BE INCLUDED ON FUTURE AGENDAS. DISCUSSION IS LIMITED TO WHAT THE REQUEST IS FOR AND IF AND WHEN THE ITEM CAN BE PUT ON FUTURE AGENDA. AND THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT SEVEN 14. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.