February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 12

WE ARE PARKS AND RECREATION
Making Outdoor Spaces Inclusive
By Colton Patak
C
reating parks and public spaces that are welcoming environments
for everyone, regardless of physical ability or background,
is gaining greater momentum. Mason, Ohio's mission for building
a culture of wellness in the community is getting regional
attention for its Makino Park - Common Ground Playground (tinyurl.
com/296s3tnp) and recently added adaptive ballfields.
The Power of Public-Private
Partnerships
A key strategy in making outdoor
spaces more inclusive is leveraging
public-private partnerships. These
collaborations provide crucial funding
and resources that can make otherwise
unattainable projects a reality.
Common Ground Playground at
Makino Park exemplifies how powerful
public-private partnerships can
be when creating unique experiences
and programming. Makino Park
was born from a resident's vision
and developed through a collaborative
partnership with State of Ohio;
Warren County; Makino, Inc.; TriHealth;
Kings Island; City of Mason;
Mason Parks and Recreation
Foundation; FCC Cincinnati; Mason
Challenger League and many
individual private donors with the
same core values to enhance inclusivity
in their own public spaces.
Phased Development
for Inclusivity
When large-scale projects are necessary,
they don't have to happen all at
once. Taking a phased approach can
make ambitious goals achievable
over time. For instance, the Common
Ground Playground in Mason,
which took 16 years from concept to
completion, serves as an example of
persistence in the pursuit of inclusivity.
Phase 1 included the Common
Ground Playground, and Phase 2,
completed in 2024, included a partnership
with the Mason Challenger
League to create two adaptive ballfields.
Other cities and park systems
similarly can start small and expand
over time while maintaining a longterm
vision for inclusivity in each
phase of development.
Mason, Ohio's inclusive Makino
Park serves as the model for the
redevelopment of Mason's other
public parks.
Broadening the Vision
to Other Parks
Creating inclusive spaces shouldn't
be limited to one specific location.
By ensuring that updates to existing
parks also incorporate inclusive
design, departments can transform
multiple public spaces into welcoming
environments for all. Makino
Park now serves as the model for
12 Parks & Recreation | FEBR U AR Y 2 0 2 5 | PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
the redevelopment of Mason's other
public parks. For example, during the
redevelopment of the playground at
Pine Hill Lakes Park (tinyurl.com/
yc5kb9d2), inclusive elements were
added, such as turf, accessible playground
pieces and fencing, giving
families additional options for enjoying
outdoor recreation. Dog parks,
too, can be made accessible by adding
concrete paths and gated areas, as
was done in Mason at the Pawmyra
Dog Park (tinyurl.com/249ze68k).
Encouraging Change
Nationwide
Park and recreation departments
have an opportunity to promote inclusivity
through thoughtful planning,
public-private partnerships and
phased development. Accessibility
goes beyond legal requirements; it's
about creating spaces where everyone
can gather, play and feel part of
the community. By taking the first
steps toward making parks and public
areas more inclusive, we can create
environments where all community
members - regardless of age, ability
or background - feel welcome.
As park and recreation departments
look to the future, they can
use examples like Mason as inspiration.
The goal is not just to
improve individual parks, but to
create more inclusive, connected
communities everywhere. Whether
through incremental changes or
bold new projects, the possibilities
for making outdoor spaces accessible
to all are within reach.
Colton Patak is Program Supervisor at City
of Mason, Ohio (cpatak@masonoh.org).
PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF MASON, OHIO
http://tinyurl.com/yc5kb9d2 http://tinyurl.com/296s3tnp http://tinyurl.com/yc5kb9d2 http://tinyurl.com/296s3tnp http://tinyurl.com/249ze68k
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation

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