Lisa Wigal and Annah Korpi are two moms who didn’t know each other but they knew the Alexander playground well. Every afternoon during school pickup, they’d see the playground and be reminded of how inaccessible it was to their children because of the mulch and lack of inclusive equipment. They both have children who use wheelchairs and have sensory processing challenges.

 

They each reached out to Assistant Principal Rich Maskiell separately.  Rich decided, “Let’s do something about it!” and started a committee. That’s when Lisa and Annah first met, and ever since, they have visited numerous accessible playgrounds, attended webinars and symposiums, researched grants, and talked to vendors and landscape architects about design possibilities.

 

The committee first met in June 2022 and includes school administrators and teachers and parents and members of the community of Albany and Athens County. They have been very intentional about soliciting teacher and student input as well as feedback from the disability community about what an inclusive play experience looks like to them.