Silver Summit: A Playground for Everyone

Can you believe?? A *second* all-abilities playground is opening soon at Fort Missoula!!! Parks & Rec has gone all out to create an incredible play space with new and exciting features for all kinds of kids and fun-lovers. Save the date and see you there, July 28!!

To clarify: The Phase II Grand Opening celebration has been rescheduled for Thursday, July 26, from 6 to 10 p.m. Our contractors are right on schedule, but the turf grass needs just a little more time to put down roots before the park opens. Join us for a fun, free family event! Games, sports, crafts, live music, dance, food, tours and more!

https://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2093

Do you know of a Montana school or community that would like to add accessible features to their playgrounds? Rep. Jean Curtis was tenacious in fighting for $100K for just this purpose during the last legislative session! Grants are up to $10K. And accessible swings are CHEAP!! The deadline is Jan 17 but it's a cinch to apply. Please tag folks or share with those who may be interested.

Montana State Parks :: Trails, Snowmobile, OHV, LWCF & Accessible, Playgrounds Programs Our recreation programs help maintain trails for hiking and biking in our parks,cities and throughout our state.They make sure snowmobile and OHV enthusiasts have safe places to ride, and provide local communities with grant funds to build swimming pools, baseball fields, playgrounds and other place...

Annie Garde of Montana Public Radio’s Pea Green Boat will be at Silver Summit today at 5:30 PM to talk to kids families about what accessible play means to them! Join us for a fun gathering.

Great news! HB 294 has passed, creating a Montana matching grant fund of $100,000 for accessible playground items. (That represents over 400 accessible swings, if communities raise 50% themselves!) Once details are available for applying for matching funds, we will post here. Thank you to Rep. Jean Price and Summit Independent Living for tremendous work on this bill over two legislative sessions! Let freedom SWING!!!

Silver Summit & many of us in Missoula are mourning the loss of one of our major donors, ten-year old Connor Casillas. Connor lived life to the fullest, had a huge smile and an amazing laugh, and bettered the lives of so many. He faced illness and adversity with tremendous spirit. Our love goes out to his family as well as thanks for the funds he raised for Silver Summit, making play possible for all kids. His beautiful obituary: http://helenair.com/news/local/obituaries/connor-casillas/article_25735064-8f1c-58d7-9f93-c357e852f51f.html.

Big thanks to Jordan of Girl Scout troop 3704 who built these two little library boxes, one of which will live at Silver Summit!! Feel free to take & donate kid's books once it's in place.

We have had an inquiry from another city building an all-abilities playground who would like to know: Do you feel that the fence at Silver Summit works well for your kids? Too high or low? Would a picket fence have worked as well? Thank you!!

Check out plans and equipment for playgrounds around Missoula and at Fort Missoula Regional Park, where a Phase II all-abilities playground will be sited in the NW corner.

Parks and Trails Bond Playground Project | Missoula, MT - Official Website 11 new of improved playgrounds as part of the 2014 Parks and Trails bond.

Plans are proceeding apace for Missoula's second big all-abilities playground, which will open at Fort Missoula in 2017! Artist Trish McKay's installation of colorful steel tubes "growing" out of the rubberized surfacing will add a fun and unique element to the new playground! We can't wait to see how kids use this amazing play space entitled "Enchanted Forest."

Claps and cheers for Lego! A wheelchair user is featured in their upcoming "Fun in the Park" play set.

Lego Rolling Out Minifigure In Wheelchair Lego said it will include a boy in a wheelchair in a forthcoming set of its iconic minifigures.

Thank you to the many folks who made this great day happen!! Missoula Parks & Rec, New Directions, Butte-Silverbow, Eagle Mount and local athletes - you rock!! Everyone had an amazing day on the slopes!!

Adaptive ski day at Discovery allows people with disabilities to shred slopes PHILIPSBURG – David "Madman" Poole's addiction to skiing hasn't changed, but his method of getting down the mountain did, drastically, after he hit a rock just before going over a

The Orb has landed!