One of the last parks created with full respect for the theme of inclusiveness is the playground inaugurated on July 6 in Sestri Ponente, and donated to the city by the association Samuele Cavallaro Onlus, with the patronage of the City Hall VI Medio Ponente of the City of Genoa.
Inclusive park in Sestri Ponente
The inclusive playground is located inside the park of Villa Rossi Martini, in the area called La Cavallerizza. The Association promoting the initiative was born from the need to keep alive the memory of the very young Samuel, who died in 2015 because of leukaemia: thanks to the fundraising were born, so, countless initiatives and projects of support and help for children, young people and families, the last of which is the park dedicated to him in the neighborhood that has seen him grow.
In the image, the park project wants to be a tribute to the city of Genoa and its Lantern, recalled in the silhouette of the multifunction game placed in the center of the area; on the rubber carpet are drawn the silhouette of the old port and the Genoa roadway.
But the characteristic of the park is the presence of inclusive play equipment, which respond to the need to unite all children in the game without distinction of attitude and motor skills.
There is a merry-go-round with a platform at ground level, which allows use even by those in a wheelchair or with motor problems; the swings, then, are different for each type of small user, including a “basket”, and a mixed with the classic board and teddy bear, whose shape is effective to support the tetraplegic child.
Then there are the talking tubes, placed at an appropriate height, which allow you to communicate from one point to another of the park, a spring game, shaped like a dolphin, and the multi-function game with slide and play panels, which we mentioned above.
The materials
The choice of construction materials for the games is of great importance, especially in relation to the maintenance requirements and the durability of the products.
The Proludic HPL panels, used in the games of the Sestri Ponente park, have the important characteristic of maintaining their dimensions unaltered over time. Exposure to considerable temperature variations has no effect on the material and this ensures the durability and solidity of the assemblies. The coloured surface is obtained with pigmented resins that guarantee good resistance to ultraviolet rays and aggressive maintenance products.
The tubes are made of steel, a material with high mechanical resistance. Refractory to tags (spray writing), weather and urban pollution, the tubulars require limited maintenance and are resistant to the most aggressive solvents. Steel is a material that can withstand very high loads and high stresses. The poles are made of galvanized steel and meet the needs of strength and safety required by the structures of the games.
The plastic parts are non-toxic, resistant to wear, shocks, climatic variations and a good number of chemical products, guaranteeing the solidity and durability of the games.