A barrier-free park that provides the differently abled a recreational space with easy entry and free movement and a sensory garden that will provide children with autism and other intellectual challenges sensory stimulation have been set up on the Museum compound Thiruvananthapuram.
An initiative of the Social Justice Department as part of the Barrier-free Kerala project, the differently abled-friendly park and garden is located behind the Napier Museum, just opposite the Public Office Complex.
Built by Costford, the 10,000-sq ft park provides differently abled children various kinds of sensory opportunities in an environment where they can be one with nature.
Autism disorder
Children with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or other sensory challenges will find the park helpful in sensory development – discovery through sight, smell, touch, and sound. Such sensory experiences have an impact on their growth and development.
P.B. Sajan, Joint Director, Costford, says the garden has been designed to provide a number of sensory experiences to differently abled children. To develop their sense of touch and feel, different kinds of tiles have been used for flooring. These include granite stones, broken tiles, vitrified tiles, Kota stone, cobbled stone, marbles, GI pipes, and so on. There are also grass patches.
Besides the wide-girthed trees already on the premises, a round maze-like passage with fencing bamboo to add to the greenery has been designed for children to go exploring. A tunnel has been built for children to bend down on all four years and crawl into.
An arched passage covered with overhanging plants of various types, colourful flowers to help children explore the sense of sight and smell, a cascade to explore sound that would benefit the visually impaired, and a performance area with seating in various colours, lighting, and hanging planters, is also part of the park to provide children with stimulation and help them relax. One of the park entrances leads to a barrier-free section that people on wheelchairs can easily access and move about in, says Mr. Sajan.
The park, department officials say, will help in physical and mental recreation of the differently abled while furthering their right to movement.
Minister for Social Justice R. Bindu will inaugurate the park at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. V.K. Prasanth, MLA, will preside over the function. Minister for Museums Ahammad Devarkovil will be present.