A Place for All Kids

The sound of children’s laughter is often heard echoing past the dual zip lines and over a climbing wall replica of Smith Rock’s Monkey Face, just two of the seventy play items at Hope Playground in Redmond. Hope was designed to encourage interactive play for people of all abilities and ages. “It’s a great asset for Redmond, and an excellent way to draw attention to our town because it’s the largest inclusive playground in the Northwest,” said Charlie Rucker of the Redmond Chamber.

Behind the grassroots project is a group of Redmond moms who saw their dream for this inclusive playground become a reality last year. Today the 450-person capacity playground is both a destination and a point of civic pride for this booming bedroom community. Volunteers were integral to the completion of the playground—located in Sam Johnson Park—as was the $750,000 in donations, grants and in-kind labor.