The Medford Public Schools district has announced its plans to build a new publicly accessible playground at McGlynn School in Medford, Massachusetts, US.

The playground renovation project is scheduled to commence early next year.

A representative design committee and landscape architects from the Copley Wolff Design Group created the plans.

It aims to offer a wide range of inclusive play opportunities, as well as 'developmentally appropriate' challenges.

Medford mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn said: “By building Medford’s first universally accessible playground at the McGlynn [School], we are creating a safe and inclusive experience for our students, families, and neighbours to enjoy.”

The park will have separate preschool and elementary play areas for children in preschool through fifth grade in addition to an inclusive wheelchair swing, multiuse field, stage section, and a fully accessible and curriculum-aligned outdoor classroom.

The playground aims to comply with and surpass federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards.

Medford Public Schools superintendent Marice Edouard-Vincent added: “This new playground will equalise play and make it accessible for all of our learners and the community at large.”

The updated playground design includes feedback from specialists at the Perkins School for the Blind.

The playground's redesign initially commenced in February 2022.

The Community Preservation Act financed the design process, with the $2.8m being supported by Federal Community Development Block Grants, the American Rescue Plan Act, and a state earmark acquired by state representative Christine Barber.