Parents in Atascadero are pushing to turn a big patch of dirt into San Luis Obispo County’s first fully inclusive splash pad, a place where kids of all abilities can cool off and play together.
“It’s really, really hot in Atascadero in the summertime, and we do have a splash pad at Hielmann [Regional Park], but it’s really, really small, and it’s not accessible,” said parent Jessica Puccinelli. “It’s just not safe and appropriate for many people in our community, so we thought it would be great to have something here.”
The empty lot sits under the hot summer sun, but parents say it shouldn’t be a wasteland, it should be a place for everyone, one designed like the nearby Joy Playground at Colony Park, for wheelchairs, sensory needs and kids who don’t find traditional play spaces welcoming.
“This park is known for having the accessible swings for the handicapped and being able to be inclusive with ramps and stuff,” said North County resident Dyan Railsback. “It’s such a level ground here that I can see it happening very easily.”
“We can have it fully fenced — I think that’s huge for a lot of families,” Puccinelli said. “I’m really hoping that we can get different water areas — one with more high sensory and one with more low sensory that would be more appropriate for people with sensory sensitivities.”
Puccinelli doesn’t live in Atascadero but often waits at Joy Playground with her two autistic children before their nearby therapy appointments. She knows firsthand the stressors and dangers of not having an inclusive play area.
“Children who are autistic often elope, which means they’ll run away without warning, and it creates a really dangerous situation for the kids,” she said.
North County parents, along with the Parents Helping Parents of San Luis Obispo organization, are hoping to raise $500,000 to make this splash pad come to life.
On Sept. 8, they plan on unveiling this plan to city council and want the public to come show their support in making this a reality.
“Everybody deserves to have that opportunity to feel comfortable, and safe, and normal, as normal as a person can be, and have fun!” Railsback said.
