The Government of Tamil Nadu has given the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) a congratulatory pat on the back for establishing Infinity Park at Santhome.
On Independence Day, the Chief Minister presented a Certificate of Appreciation to GCC for this Smart-City initiative.
It is not often that the GCC comes in for unqualified appreciation for a project it implements. So, it was with a sense of satisfaction that the Ripon building welcomed the overall praise for the 1529 square-metre Infinity Park it opened in Santhome.
We are revisiting Infinity Park to find out how beneficial users find it to be.
“A wonderful initiative,” says Lakshmanan Krishnamoorthy, guiding his son Shreyas who has autism, to walk on the sensory blocks.
“Such activities stimulate the brain. My son spends nearly 45 minutes here every evening trying out the sit & cycle, moving tyres, rope climbing and the swings. Parents cannot always install these recommended facilities at home.”
The most heart-warming sight at the Park is the the way non-disabled kids join the disabled ones in the play. “Kids with disabilities don’t get too many friends,” observes S. Ashwath, who brings his two non-disabled kids to the park regularly. “This interaction among kids helps to groom a society of empathetic citizens. And of course, public spaces like these keep children away from gadgets, provide fresh, open air and physical activity to stay healthy.”
Ms. Nathan makes a long trip from Mandaveli with her kids every evening. “Our area has many parks, but my kids prefer this. A lot of thought has gone into its making.”
Salient features
Infinity Park is an accessible children’s park, which means it has features that make the park available for all kids – disabled and non-disabled. Information about the park in Braille and a walking path with raised markers guide visually-challenged children to an aromatic “touch-and-smell” herbal garden; blocks with pebbles of different shapes, walking path in the shape of eight, a frame of rope ladders and rotatable tyres of different sizes fixed to a cheerfully-painted wall offer kids with developmental disorders marvellous sensory experiences.
A swing has a huge bucket for a wheelchair; a sand pit, an in-and-out pipe and a basketball court offer more options to play in. A roofed central area lets parents take the weight off their legs while keeping an eye on their ward.
***
How did the idea come about?
“The disability rights alliance (DRA) and Kilikili contacted us to create a [accessible] design for activities,” says Kavitha Selvaraj of Citiworks. “We then submitted it to Greater Chennai Corporation which readily agreed to its implementation. The idea was to create a play environment where children with different abilities could have an opportunity to interact and play with all children. Children are enriched by such experiences.”
This Infinity Park is the most recent after those in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Nagpur and Madurai, says Kavitha Krishnamoorthy of Kilikili.
“Years ago, when I took my toddler son to a park in Bengaluru, I wondered why there were no kids with disabilities there. The concept of accessible parks was born. I moved to Chennai four years ago, Smitha of DRA talked to us about inclusive parks and we took it to GCC,” says Kavitha Krishnamoorthy
“After the positive feedback, the Commissioner and DC (Works) are planning more such parks. One key component of its success is the ownership from local volunteers, who ensure that the park is not misused and is maintained well,” says Kavitha Selvaraj.
“The park is in line with this government’s commitment to help people with disabilities. Very happy to know it has found acceptance and recognition,” says S.P. Velumani, Minister for Municipal Administration.
