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December 9, 2024

Rethinking Transportation: Mobility Narratives, Institutional Forces, & Opportunities for Change in Almere

By Brianna Mawra

Almere, a New Town city built in the 1970s, is known for its innovative approach to transportation, offering a unique case study in how separate transport infrastructure impacts mobility narratives among its residents. With each mode of transport (cycling, driving, bus, walking) having their own designated path or road, Almere residents are able to move around the city with relative ease, safety, and affordability. As such, this research delves into the influences of Almere's separate transport system on local residents and institutional forces, exploring how it both reinforces and challenges car-centric views and how the narratives of residents and institutions differ.

Over the span of two months, this research employed a qualitative approach to gather data through semi-structured interviews. These interviews were conducted with a diverse group of residents from various districts within Almere, as well as mobility professionals, including municipal-level civil servants and mobility behavioral consultants. The aim was to understand the personal dimensions and experiences of mobility, creating residents’ own mobility narratives, to reveal the reasons individuals choose one mode of transport over another, as well how particular mobility modes impact their lives.

A significant finding from the interviews was that younger residents in Almere generally hold positive views about the city's transport options, frequently opting for sustainable modes such as the rapid bus network and more active modes, like cycling. For foreign-born residents from car-centric countries like Brazil, India, and the United States, their initial expectations of mobility were shaped by their experiences in their home countries. These individuals were often surprised by Almere’s extensive transport infrastructure, though they did identify areas for improvement, particularly in cycling safety and rail connections to nearby cities like Amsterdam. Despite these gaps, these residents have been positively influenced by the city’s separate transport system, adapting their mobility habits towards more sustainable practices.

Conversely, older residents tended to have more favorable views towards car usage, viewing it as essential for their daily lives. This preference was often due to specific circumstances such as jobs with irregular hours, health issues, or deep-rooted perceptions about the convenience and necessity of car travel. These findings suggest that while Almere’s infrastructure supports sustainable transport, personal and practical factors still drive a substantial portion of the population towards car usage.

From an institutional perspective, the research revealed diverse opinions among mobility professionals. Municipal civil servants highlighted the challenges in shifting entrenched behaviors and perceptions related to mobility. However, they also noted a significant cultural shift towards environmental awareness, particularly among younger residents. One civil servant mentioned the municipality’s efforts to incorporate this growing environmental consciousness into their mobility plans, aiming to reduce reliance on private cars.

This cultural shift is particularly crucial as Almere is projected to grow significantly, with plans for 60,000 new homes and 100,000 jobs by 2040. The city’s vision for the future involves expanding mobility options and enhancing connections to nearby cities to accommodate this growth. The municipality’s focus on sustainable transport options is seen as essential to attracting new residents and supporting the region’s development.

Almere’s separate transport infrastructure presents a fascinating case of how a city can influence its residents' mobility narratives. Younger generations are increasingly adopting sustainable transport options, while older residents remain attached to car use due to various personal factors. Institutionally, there is a clear push towards embedding sustainability into the city’s transport plans, reflecting a broader cultural shift. This shift also has implications for the area’s complex political landscape. Political parties like the VVD (Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie) often campaign on pro-car measures in Almere, seeing the car as a necessity for life in the city. As noted from the civil servants, this dynamic will certainly have intriguing implications for the future of mobility in Almere.

This research highlights the importance of understanding the diverse perspectives and practical considerations that shape mobility choices of people. Almere’s separate transport experience offers valuable insights for other cities aiming to balance sustainable transport infrastructure with the varied needs and preferences of residents, but questions remain if infrastructure alone is enough to influence people’s mobility narratives. For this reason, more research is needed to better understand other underlying factors that may influence people’s mobility narratives.

October 29, 2024

My Take on Traffic, Tourists, and Historic Cities

By Roger Bardsley

I recently returned from a trip to Italy where I visited Milan, Bologna, Verona and Florence. All are fun places with lots to see and lots of food to sample. Also, lots of tourists (mostly American) to navigate around. Since tourists like me tend to spend most of their time in the historic centers of European cities, it gave me an opportunity to see how today’s cities cope with today’s traffic.

First, a little background: In 2023 I finished my doctorate in Geography, completing a dissertation on the layout of ancient cities, generally those with an orthogonal (grid) layout. In case you are ever interested, I will be glad to share my conclusions. Anyway, it was enough for my committee to approve the degree.

One of my areas of study was cities of the ancient Mediterranean Basin, including Rome. Rome was an urban culture, and Romans built cities to function as administrative centers, markets and locations for religious and civic events. Romans loved the grid, and laid out their new towns with main boulevards that crossed at right angles, often called the cardo and decumanus, with the decumanus usually running east-west. All of the streets were straight and defined city blocks called insulae. Now, being Roman, the streets were surveyed and built according to a plan.

Who needed to use the streets? Wagons, chariots, horses and pedestrians. Wagons took up the largest amount of room. From axel hub to axel hub they were usually two meters wide, and to pass each other the street needed to be about five meters wide. The pavement area was defined by curb blocks, 30 cm in height, and behind the blocks were raised sidewalks that were one-two meters in width. The buildings were invariably built up to the edge of the sidewalk, creating a “street wall” familiar to anyone who has walked in city downtowns.

Since the Romans did not want to waste space, they built the streets to accommodate two-way wagon traffic, one way traffic (the wagons took turns) and pedestrians/horses only. That created a three-tier road system. Unfortunately, most people’s view of this system has come from visiting or seeing pictures of Pompeii with its streets, sidewalks and stepping stones across the streets. This is unfortunate because the original town layout was Oscan and did not conform to Roman standards. In fact, the streets are undersized and were, according to historic accounts, crowded.

Fortunately for us, Roman street layout is visible today in various cities founded by the Romans. That is because roads are amazingly persistent over time. Once laid out and built with street walls lining them, they rarely move. They may move up as new pavement is added, but they rarely change location because they are confined by buildings whose owners are invested in the roads staying where they are. Knowing that allowed me to identify many Roman road locations in Verona and Florence.

Well, let’s take the historic downtown of a Roman (Italian) city and add thousands of taxis, hundreds of thousands of tourists, trucks, buses and bicycles. What could possibly go wrong? I often looked down a long straight street that was originally laid out as a one-wagon road and had narrow sidewalks on each side. In Roman times, people used the whole street and moved onto the sidewalks when a wagon, herd of cattle, military contingent or whatever took over the street. Pedestrians moved out of the way until the obstruction passed. Today, you can see taxis moving down these streets and crowding the pedestrians onto the (narrow) sidewalks. With a little imagination you can visualize the taxi as a wagon and see the inconvenience it caused then and causes now.

The Italians are well aware of the problems caused by turning vehicles loose in areas where there are thousands of tourists and the roads are small. Rick Steves mentions that the piazza around the Roman amphitheater in Verona was formerly crowded with cars. Today it is sort of car-free and pleasant to walk in. The amphitheater, by the way, is still in use for plays and performances.

Florence is a mixed bag – they discourage traffic on crowded streets with lots of shopping, but don’t prohibit it. The result is also mixed. Florence gets huge numbers of tourists every year and they cram themselves into all the same areas to look at art, architecture and shopping opportunities. Pedestrian and vehicle traffic operates on the principle of intimidation. You push, they push back, and eventually somebody gives in. Nobody gets run over since everything takes place in slow motion. The worst situation is if you are wheeling luggage from the train station to your hotel. That is one more item on the sidewalk to try to get past the other pedestrians, and you may need to detour into the street to keep moving.

Italy is Italy – in some other countries the vehicle prohibition is strictly enforced and you don’t need to worry about being intimidated. But in Italy, things are more relaxed and rules are often bent. It really added to my enjoyment to think that I was walking on Roman roads, and that the annoying taxis were actually wagons.

September 4, 2024

Legislative Committee Passes the Torch

At its Annual Retreat held on August 16, the APA-NC Executive Committee accepted the resignation of Chad Meadows as the Chair of the Chapter’s Legislative Committee and approved the appointment of Michael Zehner, AICP as the new Chair of the Legislative Committee.

On behalf of the Chapter, the Executive Committee extends its heartfelt thanks to Chad for his unwavering commitment and exemplary leadership to the Committee, the Chapter, and its members over his last 13 years as Chair to the Legislative Committee. Chad’s efforts have been instrumental in advancing the Chapter’s legislative goals and keeping members informed of legislation impacting our profession and communities. Chad’s legacy of service to the Chapter will undoubtedly continue to inspire us all. We are confident that Michael will build upon the strong foundation laid by Chad and continue to lead the Committee with the same level of dedication and vision. Please join us in expressing our gratitude to Chad for his invaluable contributions and in welcoming Michael to his new role. Chad will continue as Chair Emeritus of the Legislative Committee and assist, where needed, with strategy and execution of the Committee's Strategic Plan.

Michael is the Director of planning and community development for Berkley Group, a local government consulting firm based in Virginia. Michael has served as the Vice Chair of the Chapter’s Legislative Committee since 2021. Michael also serves as a member of the Planning Board for the Town of Southern Shores.

July 16, 2024

Seven Steps to Elevate Your Career: How to Tell Your Professional Story

A version of this article originally appeared in Florida Planning magazine

If you aspire to become a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners (FAICP), seek a promotion, or change jobs, this article is for you. If you want to be successful at any of these, you need to turn the bullet points on your resume into the story of your career. We’ve got seven steps to do now that will help you build your story in the future.

Preparing a Fellows nomination packet, moving between public and private employment, or securing a promotion is a challenge. Being prepared for that challenge is key. You have to be able to tell your story. Even if you never use the following advice to tell your story to anyone else, building your story just for yourself is its own reward.

Here are seven steps to take to take your list of accomplishments and understand the impact you have made.

• Document the Obvious Stuff | Keep a folder or spreadsheet where you document your major project work, conference presentations, publications, kudos from co-workers, clients or community members, awards, volunteer activities, etc. Having all of this information in one place is really helpful to organizing it. Practical Tip: Regularly update your storage method to ensure accessibility. When you burned that CD it might have made perfect sense, but now, how do you even find a computer with a CD player?
• Document the Less Obvious Stuff | Every year (or at least every time you change positions), document the three biggest impacts you have had in your professional role. Looking back on these impacts will make it easier for you to identify themes from your career. For example, did you increase the efficiency of a process or drive the implementation of a new initiative?
• Research Project Impacts | From time to time, look back on those old projects and see what is happening with them. In the planning world, it can take a long time to transition from plan to reality so you have to keep up with those projects to document what impact they had on the community. If you prepared a transit plan for a city, research what recommendations the city has implemented from the plan and if they were able to leverage the plan to secure federal funding to support the recommendations.
• Keep Up with Your Supporters | To prepare an FAICP application, you will need 10+ letters of support from co-workers, clients/consultants, community members, professors/students, mentors/mentees, etc. Keep a list of folks who have supported your career and been a champion of your work and make sure you know how to get ahold of them in the future.
• Be Proactive in Promoting Yourself | Always be on the lookout for ways to promote your work. There are speaking opportunities at the annual North Carolina Planning Conference so find some friends and submit a session proposal.
• Find Your Unique Angle | You do things differently than anyone else so reflect on your efforts and how they might be different from other people. Maybe you always integrate art into your projects or find ways to give emerging professionals a chance to learn and grow. Not everyone does that so make sure you document those activities.
• Forget Modesty | As planners, we tend to work in groups and give credit to our teams, but for these exercises, be sure to set your modesty aside…just for a moment…and focus on your achievements. If it helps, pretend you are your best friend and think how they might describe your career.

By following these steps, you’ll not only be prepared for future career opportunities, but you’ll also gain a deeper understanding of your professional impact. Building your career story is a rewarding endeavor that can boost your confidence and clarify your path forward.

June 10, 2024

Reducing Regulator Barriers to Housing Act

Last week, APA-NC joined APA National and other Chapters in a joint letter of support for the federal Reducing Regulatory Barriers to Housing Act. This bill would make HUD a better policy partner to communities embracing housing reform by providing ideas and information that leverage federal expertise, increase transparency through new tools like a national zoning atlas, and spur local innovation. This legislation was directly influenced and shaped by APA and aligns with this year’s policy priority focus on housing supply and zoning reform.

APA-NC is cautiously optimistic about this bill and how it can support housing reform efforts throughout the Country. We recognize that there are complex challenges that impact affordable housing and shared those concerns with APA National.

We encourage our members to review APA's pre-drafted message to urge your US House and Senate members to sign on as a co-sponsor and check out APA’s recently published Housing Supply Accelerator Playbook.

April 15, 2024

NCAZO Legislative Liaison Named

We are excited to announce that a new relationship has been established between the NCAPA Legislative Committee and NCAZO (North Carolina Association of Zoning Officials). The NCAZO has voted to designate Janie Phelps as its Legislative Liaison. Janie is also a member of the NCAPA Legislative Committee.

This collaborative effort was created to facilitate greater legislative bill awareness and insight across a broader spectrum of the planning profession in North Carolina.

Many of the planning-related bills we track affect both the planning and zoning disciplines and this partnership will help ensure more communication. The Legislative Committee is thrilled to welcome the State’s zoning officials to our monthly bill update calls, and we look forward to the new insights and perspectives they will surely bring.

Thank you to Janie Phelps for agreeing to serve in this dual capacity.

April 10, 2024

Infographics on the Legislative Process from the NCEDA

As the Legislative Short Session convene on April 24, 2024, the members of the Legislative Committee would like to encourage planning professionals across all jurisdictions to continuously engage with members of the North Carolina General Assembly. Throughout the duration of Short Session, the Committee will be providing members with updates regarding pertinent planning-related legislation and legislation impacting the planning field and profession. In efforts to better assist our members, please have a look at the following information, regarding the structure and nature of the General Assembly as well as ways to effectively engage with elected officials and their staffs. The infographics below are provided courtesy of the North Carolina Economic Development Administration (NCEDA). We anticipate our twice monthly status update calls to commence in early May.

NCEDA Advocacy 101 - Relationship Building

NCEDA Advocacy 101 - The NC General Assembly

January 19, 2024

Legislative Committee Releases Policy Guidance Document

APA-NC Legislative Committee

The APA-NC Executive Committee recently endorsed a policy guidance document for use by the Legislative Committee. The document explains how pending planning-related bills will be prioritized by the Legislative Committee, what a proposed bill's priority ranking means in terms of how it is discussed by the Legislative Committee, and how the Legislative Committee will engage with the Executive Committee prior to taking any advocacy action on a particular piece of legislation. The intent of the guidance document is to help the Legislative Committee better manage its resources and ensure that the Executive Committee is involved determining if and how the Chapter will take advocacy action on a particular piece of planning-related legislation. The Legislative Committee will continue tracking planning-related legislation and hosting our usual twice-monthly calls to keep planners informed. In cases where an impactful bill is proposed, the Legislative Committee will continue to work with the Chapter membership and now the Executive Committee on how advocacy responses will be formulated. The policy guidance document is attached here.

February 2, 2023

Winter 2022 North Carolina Legislative Update

APA-NC Legislative Committee

Happy Holidays from the Legislative Committee!  We are planning for a busy 2023.  The next regular or “long” session of the General Assembly is expected to convene on January 11, 2023.  The 2022 election resulted in continued republican control of both chambers of the General Assembly.  Republicans now hold a supermajority (three-fifths of voting lawmakers) in the Senate, but did not establish a supermajority in the House.  This means the Governor’s office retains the ability to veto proposed legislation.  The Legislative Committee expects to restart our twice-monthly legislative conference calls on February 3rd.  We will send out call invites on the Planner’s listserv in mid-January of 2023.  Last year we started using a new tracking form and will continue to use and refine it going forward.  One additional change is that we intend to post the tracking form on the Chapter’s webpage after each call.

A huge thank you to the 100+ planners who participated in the Legislative Committee’s listening sessions on Zoning Reform in August and our discussion session during the September Planning Conference in Winston-Salem.  One of our first deliverables in 2023 will be a report on what we heard and your suggestions for our next steps.  We do anticipate draft legislation similar to the Increasing Housing Opportunities bill (HB401) which did not advance in 2022.

Along these lines, we wanted to let you know about Governor Youngkin’s Make Virginia Home Plan which was announced in November of 2022.  This effort seeks to “address restrictions on housing supply, improve and streamline permitting processes, and protect property owner rights.”  We continue to believe that planners must have a seat at the table when it comes to issues of regulatory pre-emption and how to remedy the failings of zoning.  We will do our very best to keep you informed about these kinds of issues in 2023.

hanks as always for your continued interest in legislative issues and please reach out with any questions or suggestions.  We have a fantastic team of planners who work hard to keep you informed. They include: Michael Zehner, Andrew Ausel, Ricky Hurley, Ian Hamilton, Michael Kelly, and Mike Kirkman.  Please join me in a hearty thank you for their efforts!

December 8, 2021

CONNECT Beyond Plan Takes a Critical Step Forward 

Centralina Regional Council

The wheels are in motion for the greater Charlotte region to implement a comprehensive transportation system. On October 13th, Centralina Regional Council’s (Centralina) Board of Delegates approved the CONNECT Beyond regional mobility plan.  Mecklenburg County Commissioner Leigh Altman joined the Centralina board meeting to represent the Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC), the policy board for the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS). The MTC officially voted to endorse the CONNECT Beyond plan during its meeting on October 27th.

Centralina and the MTC are the project sponsors of this initiative, a first-of-its kind plan that serves as the blueprint for how to implement a robust, interconnected transportation network combining high-capacity transit lines, enhanced bus service and other innovative mobility solutions. The CONNECT Beyond regional mobility plan covers a diverse area, crossing the dashed lines that split the Charlotte region and includes 12 counties, two states, four Metropolitan Planning Organizations, one Rural Planning Organization and two state Departments of Transportation.

The plan provides the framework that will encourage economic growth, connected communities and equitable opportunities. Many transit options are currently focused on localized areas that leave gaps in transit on a regional level and the CONNECT Beyond recommendations will close these gaps and improve access by creating a total mobility network. “Over the past two decades, our region has experienced unprecedented growth and remained resilient through turbulent cycles. Access to safe, reliable, affordable and well-connected public transportation is critical so that everyone can benefit from this economic prosperity,” said Geraldine Gardner, Executive Director of Centralina.

To learn more about the CONNECT Beyond Plan click HERE.

December 8, 2021

Can We Learn to Share? How the Sharing Economy Can Help Launch the Mobility Revolution

Ashley Thompson - Stantec

Focusing on moving people, not vehicles, is a paradigm shift that promotes accessible, inclusive, and equitable transportation. 

Most experts would say the last major transportation revolution was just over 100 years ago with the advent of the first mass-produced automobiles. Not a lot has changed in the past 100 years. From Henry Ford’s Model T to today’s Ford F-150 or Tesla, personally owned vehicles have dominated the way we think about transportation in North America.

However, we are on the cusp of a dramatic change. Cities, planners, developers, private operators, automakers, tech companies, and transit authorities are starting to focus on how they move people, not vehicles. This paradigm shift - which promotes accessible, inclusive, and equitable transportation - might be more accurately referred to as a "mobility revolution."

New technologies on the scene—automated vehicles, app-driven mobility services, micromobility, etc.—have the potential to transform the way we move around. But depending on who you talk to, these technologies will have the power to either: a) deliver us into an equitable and resilient future of vibrant communities with smarter mobility choices or, b) summon a congested and chaotic future accelerating suburban sprawl and disconnection.

One way we can actively choose option a) is by calling on the sharing economy for help. It is true that these innovations have the potential to shape the positive future we imagine—if we can learn to share.

To read the full article click HERE.

November 30, 2021

How To Create a Successful Mixed-Use Experience

Jed Byrne & Caitlyn Myers - WithersRavenel

Cities are densifying again. Local governments require street-level activation. Mixed-use developments are growing in popularity, but delivering a successful project is not as simple as stacking apartments on top of retail units. Jed Byrne, Business Development Representative and placemaking advocate, sat down with three retail development and management experts to talk about creating attractive mixed-use destinations.

Meet the Experts

Jed spoke to Michael Rodgers with DHIC's Development team, David Meeker with Carpenter Development, and Nicholaus Neptune with Trailblaze Development.

Rodgers directs rental housing development from the initial concept stage through project feasibility, design, financing, construction, and stabilization. He also works on the financial structuring and underwriting of the development pipeline. He holds a master's degree in City and Regional Planning from UNC Chapel Hill and serves as the Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Durham Co-op Market.

A Raleigh native, Meeker founded Carpenter Development and partnered with the Trophy Brewing team in 2008. He is on the Board of the Raleigh Chamber, Downtown Raleigh Alliance, Common Cause NC, North Carolinians for Redistricting Reform, Dix Park, the Dogwood Bank Advisory Board, and Artspace. He is also on the Capital Campaign Committee for Healing Transitions, a detox and recovery center on Dix Park.

Neptune is an educator, civic entrepreneur, and community advocate. He is most recently known for his work as general manager and director of Raleigh's Transfer Company Food Hall, Ballroom, and Work Hall; he guided the nearly 50,000 SF property from the final stages of renovation through public engagement to opening, programming, and activating the historic space. He has since stepped down from management with Transfer Company to form a new partnership and practice devoted to sustainable design and equitable development, with particular emphasis on mixed-income housing, public-private civic space, and commercial opportunities.

Click HERE to read what the experts had to say. 

August 11, 2021

Every Park, Every Playground, Every Time: Gary Warner on Inclusive Park Design 

Gary Warner, PLA, ASLA, AICP, WithersRavenel & Caitlyn Myers, WithersRavenel

When a community unveils a new inclusive park or renovated playground with accessibility features, it is often celebrated as a victory of progress—and rightfully so. Inclusive parks and recreation facilities enable local governments to better serve the needs of a wider variety of people. But part of why these groundbreaking and ribbon cutting ceremonies are such big news is because inclusive park design is the exception and not the rule.

Gary Warner, WithersRavenel's Senior Director of Design + Planning, is working to create a world that normalizes inclusive park design—a world where communities can celebrate every park, every playground, every time.

Why inclusive park design? According to the National Recreation and Park Association, "Americans almost unanimously agree that their communities benefit from their local public parks, even if they are not regular park users." But only two out of five park and recreation agencies have formal inclusion policies. Inclusive park design is focused on bridging the gap so that all members of the public have the opportunity to reap the benefits of public parks and recreation offerings.

Accessibility is a key component of inclusive design, and it starts with location: can users get to a facility that meets their needs? Lack of access to a personal vehicle or public transportation already limits some families from seeking outdoor spaces; families with special needs may find it even more difficult to go out of their way to visit the one or two locations with the appropriate features.

Gary believes that families should not have to travel to specific park or playground to play. Incorporating inclusive design principles into park and recreation master planning and design will allow communities to provide a greater level of service to all people.

Expanding the definition of accessibility

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in 1990. Since then, planners, designers, and architects have spent a lot of time designing parks and playgrounds for ADA compliance. The ADA has specific requirements to make sure that public spaces are physically accessible to people with limited mobility or who use mobility aids.

But although mobility issues are the most visible and easily recognized, they are not the most common type of disability. In fact, orthopedic impairments account for only a small fraction of disabilities in American children and young adults—about one percent.

Among U.S. students aged 3–21 who received special education services during the 2019–2020 school year, one in three had a specific learning disability and one in five had a speech or language impairment. Autism, developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, and emotional disturbances made up the other largest categories, ranging from 5 percent to 11 percent of students.

These statistics, Gary stresses, highlight the need to design parks and playgrounds for wider variety of disabilities. ADA compliance should be the minimum design standard, not the ultimate goal.

How to design for different abilities

Gary says that to develop more accessible and inclusive park designs, we must first understand how disability and play intersect. Below he shares, in a very broad sense, six types of disability designers should be aware of and how they can affect play.

Type of Disability Effects on Play

Physical/Mobility Restricted movements Difficulty moving body or moving items May affect communication

Cognitive Difficulty with high levels of dramatic play May need to learn or imitate skills May explore more than participate in direct play

Communication Difficulty initiating or entering into play Trouble being understood limits expression of desire

Social/Emotional Interferes with engagement play Potential withdrawal Aggressiveness limits invitations or destroys items Fear of new people/things Unwilling to risk exploration

Sensory Limits to orientation and imitative skills Hearing affects language and speech skills May not respond to initiation by others May not invite others

Acquired May limit time or ways to play

As an example, Gary describes a child with a speech impairment. She is fully able to hear, understand, and physically engage with her peers, but she has trouble being understood by them. Their inability to understand her may stymie play and frustrate or upset both her and the peer group. As a result, they may be less inclined to invite her into their activities, and she may avoid initiating play with them.

Can this challenge be solved by design? Gary believes that it can. He points to equipment that encourage parallel play, such as sandboxes and water tables; magnetic boards with repositionable letters, numbers, or figures; and building blocks and other construction toys. These solutions allow children to play side-by-side without verbal communication while leaving open the opportunity for social play if desired.

At the same time, designers should also consider options for solitary play or areas to rest. These features are particularly helpful for children with cognitive or sensory disabilities, who benefit from the ability to disengage when they feel overstimulated.

Choosing the right equipment and features

Designing for different abilities often does not require special equipment. While there are some specialty items like swings and ramps, most inclusive playground designs can be achieved using

the same or similar equipment as a typical playground. The trick is knowing how to use this equipment differently and effectively and being open to familiar designs being used in new ways.

Gary points to a butterfly-themed playground, Common Ground in Lakeland, Florida, as one example of serendipitous design. He and his fellow designers used low walls to create the shape of the butterfly's spiraling antennae. The walls were intended to be largely decorative, with the understanding that adventurous children would probably use them like balance beams. What they had not expected—and were pleasantly surprised to learn—was that children with autism walked the path created by the wall sort of like a labyrinth and used the space at the center to isolate and de-stimulate. This insight into how children play and rest has helped broaden Gary's ideas about how to meet different needs.

When and where to get help

Trying to understand and accommodate the full range of abilities can feel overwhelming. While in school, designers are not typically taught about disabilities and their effects unless they also pursue voluntary courses in psychology or sociology.

Fortunately, disability advocacy is not new, and while the causes of specific disabilities may change over time, the underlying nature and challenges posed by each disability are likely to stay the same. As new research deepens our understanding of the effects of disability on play, and as new strategies for accommodating disabilities emerge, advocates work to provide resources to playground equipment manufacturers, surface material providers, and facility designers.

Gary recommends bringing in a consultant who specializes in special needs if you are new to the field or if you are interested in exploring the latest ideas in accommodation and inclusion. A quick internet search for “inclusive design specialists” yields a long list of a wide variety of agencies with information and staff who are willing to assist.

Moving from inclusive park design to universal design

If there is one takeaway from this discussion, it is that inclusive design requires a shift in mindset more than anything else. Designers do not need specialized advanced degrees to create inclusive spaces, and park owners and operators do not need huge budgets for specialty equipment. Instead, clients and consultants must work together with families and disability advocates to understand and creatively meet the needs of children of all ages and abilities.

Gary believes that as we work toward a world where every park and every playground is an inclusive one, we will open the door for discussing disability and design through all areas and phases of life. For instance, how can we extend our ideas about inclusivity beyond parks and playgrounds and apply them to other public places like urban plazas and special event venues? How do needs change as we age, and how can designs adapt?

Answering these questions is part of a growing movement toward universal design, the idea of designing objects and spaces to be accessible to all people regardless of age, ability, or other factors. Gary and his design team are proud of their every park, every playground, every time approach to inclusive park design contributes to this larger design movement, and they look forward to bringing their experiences to wider array of projects.

Gary Warner has a passion for design in the realms of public parks, playgrounds, gardens, and urban spaces, particularly in North Carolina communities. He has received recognition as a specialist in the design of inclusive play areas for children of various abilities. Additionally, he holds expertise in master planning, developments in inclusive design and play, public facilitation and workshops, open space design, construction details and urban landscapes.