New Accessible Equipment Wabasha

The new accessible swing area is now open in Wabasha at the Athletic Complex, with Wabasha’s first ever wheelchair friendly surface and four different types of swings to meet a variety of sensory needs and motor skills.

Swinging can calm individuals with sensory needs and was the perfect addition.

One of the swings installed, a Brava Universal Swing, allows children and adults of all ages to swing together or individually in a completely new way- by using arms, core, or legs.

This project idea was a result of a 2023 Blandin Changemaker Retreat, led by Mayor Emily Durand and facilitated by the University of Minnesota Extension.

Wendy Cockrell participated in the retreat and envisioned a new playground area that people like her daughter, Rachel, who is wheelchair bound could use.

Thanks to donations from WNB Financial, Clearway Solar, and Blandin, the City was able to fund this new amenity in their  athletic park and include a rubberized surface.

PICTURED: Wendy Cockrell, with her daughter Rachel in front of the Brava Swing