In the length of a single day, the Miracle League, an organization which helps disabled children enjoy demanding physical activities such as sports and exercise, brought together more than 200 volunteers who came together on September 30 to create a disability-inclusive playground. This impressive feat was only phase one of the Miracle League’s plans to transform Petaluma into a more welcoming community for children and adults with handicaps.

    With phase one officially completed, phase two — a new baseball field — is ready to begin. President of the Miracle League, Jennifer Richardson, elaborates on the projects miracle league has organized in Petaluma.

  “We are building a playground, this is phase one for miracle league. The next phase, which will be in spring, will be the baseball field. That will have special rubberized surfaces that kids and adults will be able to play baseball on it,” said Richardson.

   This project did not start in the minds of the Petaluma City Council, but rather in people who saw the need for a safe playground for their friends, family, and neighborhoods. Gabe Kearny, a member of the Miracle League, reflects on the initiative of the community surrounding the lack of play areas of people with disabilities.

   “The beautiful thing about this is that a group of community members came up with the idea, got the funding, and it received great support,” said Kearney. “And in Petaluma we do not have a lot of the nice projects and so when the community stepped up and said ‘Hey we have a need and we are going to fill the hole of something that’s direly needed in the community,’ not just here in Petaluma but all throughout the North Bay.”

   Though ideas tend to spread throughout many people, an idea alone could never have become the impressive structure that stands behind the Petaluma Community Center. Kathy Miller speaks about the process Petaluma took to make an idea into reality.

“It went through all the city committees and received really good community support. The great thing about it is that children of all abilities will be able to play here and it’s a perfect spot for a new playground. There actually used to be a playground right here [next to current playground] that we took out so it’s nice that we get to put one back in,” said Miller.

   Not every town plans to include disability accessible playgrounds in parks, but Petaluma is also unique because this town has the ability to reach out to the most people. Richardson explains why Petaluma is the epicenter of these inclusive community gathering places.

 “This site has 50,000 children within 40 miles of this spot. And that is just the kinds in the younger age groups, it doesn’t include the adults or anyone else” said Richardson.

   Petaluma is in the beginning processes of becoming a more inclusive town for all its residents. The new playground and future baseball field will bring many smiles to thousands of people.