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White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group, Kansas City, MO, USA

QUESTIONS ABOUT AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT PLAY AREA REQUIREMENTS

On October 18, 2000, the Federal Register issued the final rule for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities; Play Areas; Final Rule which apply to outdoor play areas in child care settings and all other play areas. The guidelines establish minimum accessibility requirements for newly constructed and altered play areas.

The definition of an alteration according to the Rule is a change to a building or facility that affects or could effect the usability of the building or facility or part thereof. Alterations include, but are not limited to, remodeling, renovation, resurfacing of circulation paths or vehicular ways, changes or rearrangement of the structural parts or elements, and changes or rearrangement in the plan configuration of walls and full-height partitions. Examples include removing a climbing play component and replacing it with a spring rocker, or changing the ground surface. Normal maintenance is not an alteration unless it affects the usability of the facility.

Alterations provide an opportunity to improve access to existing play areas. Where play components are altered and ground surface is not, the ground surface does not have to comply with the ASTM F 1951-99 standards for accessible surfaces unless the cost of providing an accessible surface is less than 20 percent of the cost of the alterations to the play components.

If the entire ground surface of an existing play area is replaced, the new ground surface must provide an accessible route to connect the required number and types of play components.

The other question that is frequently raised has to do with the definition of play components that have to made accessible. The definition of a play component by the Rule is an element intended to generate specific opportunities for play, socialization, or learning. Play components may be manufactured or natural and may stand alone or part of a composite play structure. Using engineered wood fiber around plants, bushes and trees are a perfect way to make them ADA accessible.

Copies of the rule can be obtained from the Access Board on their web site at:

www.access-board.gov/play/status.htm

or by phoning 800-USA-ABLE.

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