Pleasant Valley Recreation & Park District

INCLUSION BEYOND ADA ACCESSIBILTY: UNIVERSAL DESIGN: BANKSHOT PLAYCOURTS INCLUDE THE DIFFERENTLY ABLE
Where are the sports like Bankshot which allow all players to participate?
If there is an interest in the community for inclusive recreation (non-aggressive, self-competitive family play), the differently able children and families with virtually nothing in the parks or schools for them will benefit most.
(The mayor and council of Rockville MD put out the video below of an autism awareness event which captures the outreach the sport realizes, please share.)
Why is it that the non-disabled and non-autistic have many ball playing sports and recreation while the differently able have no drop-in walk-on play opportunities as the testimony below by special populations disclose?
It was suggested that I share this "Larry's Lament" with you. Please share as you see fit.
Dr. Reeve Brenner
301-309-0260
Testimony Larry
My name is Larry R. and I'm an accountant blessed with two children, two sons who are autistic. The two boys love to play ball as do their parents with them. But when I take the family to a park or school playground it nearly breaks our hearts.
At every one of these parks and playgrounds, you can see at once that there are plenty of ballplaying facilities for typical children. But these are all team sports with opponents. They are not independent or self-competitive sports so that my boys can drop-in and participate along with everyone else in the community.
The point is there are many drop-in facilities: sports courts and sports fields for everyone but not for kids who are physically and cognitively challenged or mobility impaired or in wheelchairs or have other disabilities. These parks offer accessibility when they should be offering inclusion.
The only glimmer of hope is that of the Bankshot court we played at in several parks and school playgrounds that brings a community together and includes the differently able. I wish others would visit a Bankshot court to experience walk-on, drop-in, inclusion based on Universal Design. There ought to be many such play opportunities in the community for the total community rather than merely the jocks and athletes.
Rather, it is participation alongside others not against others that brings a community together.
There are many of us who would like to see attention paid to those who are so underserved in our parks. The parks and playgrounds from the perspective of my family and many others are sadly disappointing.
Links to the two videos from the August autism awareness event in King Farm:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3idtvticRsQ
https://www.localdvm.com/news/i-270/local-officials-aim-to-get-children-with-disabilities-more-involved-in-sports/1382006685
We would like to suggest that a Bankshot playcourt be included in the parks, rec centers and playgrounds for the sake of the differently able and the autistic community, wheelchair participants and others mobility impaired. Please check out and the National Association for Recreational Equality. The atypical community is often over looked and they are provided with programs when they really need drop-in walk-on facilities so they can gain accessibility any time with their families and friends in a wheelchair. Bankshot was designed for the inclusion and diversity of the full population.
WHEELCHAIRS + RAMPS = FRUSTRATION
I roll up itching to play ball and instead I watch. Foiled again!
I want to be playing ball like everyone else, where are the sports like Bankshot?
Gary W
Bankshot Sports™
National Association Recreation Equity (N.A.R.E.)
nareletsplayfair.com
www.bankshot.com
301-309-0260
800-933-0140

I come to the park for dog agility competitions all the time and I have to say, it's so well-maintained, it deserves 5 stars.

It's large and has a very nice playground for kids. The bathrooms are clean and well-maintained. There's a large grass area to play sports. The park is dog-friendly as well.

There are private parking lots as well as street parking available. I enjoy coming here and can't get enough of this lovely community park.

Camarillo has done an incredible job with the parks. Most have very interesting trees and beautiful grassy areas. I don't have any young children so I can't comment on playgrounds.

Came here to hang out with my friend and her dogs. The grass is nice and green and well maintained. Nice big shade trees and the playgrounds look really good too. Big beautiful community space with decent parking and easy access, close to Highway 101. Looks like they often have events here or classes, though I don't live nearby so I might not attend so many of those. It's cool they have stuff available though!

I had to reserve Pitts Ranch park for my 5 year old's b-day party. It was really easy and probably the best government customer service experience I've ever had. Thank you, Debbie, for being such a delight.

I teach 2 classes here, and I can say with honesty that it is one of the better run city recreation departments. They have tons of classes from team sports, swimming instruction, music lessons, children's classes, and the best ones, adult tap and belly dance.

Its a relaxed atmosphere (meaning the front desk girls can be a little loopy, but if you surprise them, they'll come back from orbit).

Many of the teachers are well seasoned professionals. I've actually been a little surprised by some of the names I've seen on the schedule. The facility itself is state sponsored to a degree, so you can get great instruction for less money than you would expect.

All of the facilities (including the bathrooms) are clean and well kept, and there is a great sense of family and community there. I just wish it was bigger, because its always busy.

I recently attended a Digital Photography class level 1 at the Community Center. Even though the cost was twice the price of other photo classes of the same type, I decided it was worth it because I live so close by.
I already had a fairly good concept of how to use my Nikon, but I felt that getting the first level class under my belt would really solidify my understanding and help me improve.
The instructor came with quite a resume under his belt, and had a lot of great information to share, but his manner was less than appealing. He was condescending, though I do not think he realized it, and brusque. He had a very "I know it all and you don't " attitude. He referred to the Auto setting on the camera as "The idiot knob", which implies that the person who uses it is an idiot. I couldn't believe it!
He had a lot of material to get through in a short amount of time, and the more he used comments like "the idiot knob", and "only people who are idiots use that setting" told me he really didn't want to be there, and was oblivious to all of us who PAID HIM to be there.
In the future, please have people teach this class -or any other- who ENJOY being there and don't speak down to their class.
I was not happy that I had spent that kind of money only to have the instructor imply that we were all idiots for using the Auto feature on our cameras.

What a great park! Large grass area for playing. Perfect for spending time here with your kids, walking the dog or having a picnic. The park is dog friendly. Picnic tables available and a covered table area. Play area for kids. Farmers market held here on Wednesdays. Movies in the park here during the summer. Community events here for the family during the year.

Great place for kids, very peaceful. Also for moms and dads wanting to dust off that old Lance Mountain Skateboard they used when they were kids to shred the skatepark!

Swimming lessons: My child tried the swimming lessons with the Guppies 3 times. OK, had practiced arms and leg kicks, took turns on board with feet and arms and never was ready or qualified to go to next level. When they would ASK him, are you ready to try this, he would say NO so they would just go to next kid. I told the teacher , you can't ask him are you ready, you have to tell him, Let's go, it's your turn with enthusiasm and he will go. But she still didn't do that and so my son would get skipped a lot. The swimming lessons are being taught by teenagers. After having my child in the same level class 3 times, I could tell that some of the teens just wanted to get the class over with and didn't care if the kids were actually learning or not. It would have costed me just as much or even less to hire someone to teach one on one and get swimming right away , then taking these classes. We paid 4 times because was started in the Seahorse level then Guppies 3 times. $60 each which is good price, but NOT if they don't ever move up.

Now with the Sports of all sorts: I don't recommend it. It is a different sport each week for 4 weeks. They don't get enought time to really understand the sport. I would recommend just going to the park and trying some of these sports with your child yourself and then enroll them in the one they take the most interest in. I feel like I wasted my money with something I could have taught my child on our own.