NORTH OGDEN — Cheering and clapping kicked off the school year at Green Acres Elementary as students from the special needs unit helped cut the ribbon on a brand new all-inclusive playground.

Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, children of all ages and abilities flooded the toys.

"During recess, you'll see special needs kids standing around the outskirts or sitting in their wheelchairs because the playgrounds are not accessible," said Steve Kier, special needs chairman for the Weber School Foundation.

So the foundation started the Like Any Other Kid initiative. Together with the community, the foundation members are working to install playgrounds in Weber County like the one at Green Acres Elementary. A majority of the money for the playgrounds comes from the foundation's annual event, the Christmas Tree Jubilee.

So far they have installed three playgrounds all with special features. "The rest of the playground is completely accessible through a system of ramping," Keir said.

That ramping is a key design feature that will allow students with special needs to enjoy recess with their classmates. Green Acres Principal Lisa Gilstrap says it gives new opportunities to all students.

"The platforms are wide so that the wheelchairs can be there and also kids can be there so they can interact with the discovery boards together in just a very natural way," she said.

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Gilstrap said the new playground is a complete game changer for her school. "Now we can let them run and there is a soft surface so if they fall down, it's not going to hurt them and they can explore just like any other kid."

The feature getting the most praise is the fence that surrounds the playground.

"We were so excited, No. 1, because it is fenced and it has a gate," said Heather Child, who has a daughter with special needs at the school. "Unfortunately, this one (her daughter Melanie) has a tendency to run a little bit. So, that's an added security for mom."

"We're going to move from playground to playground or school to school throughout the district and build these beautiful, accessible playgrounds for years to come," Kier said.

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