Inclusive Play Project Moves Forward at Valley Children’s
An $8 million gift from Table Mountain Rancheria will create new opportunities for children of all abilities to play together.
A playground can offer children room to explore, make friends and enjoy a little freedom. A planned addition at Valley Children’s Hospital aims to make those experiences accessible to more children, including those using mobility devices or needing a quieter place to play.
The Table Mountain Rancheria Play Experience, funded by an $8 million gift from the tribe, will feature adaptive equipment, sensory-friendly zones and shaded areas beside the hospital’s existing playground.
Valley Children’s scheduled a Sept. 10 groundbreaking on the hospital’s south lawn to mark the start of construction. The announcement follows the donation Sierra News Online reported last December.
The project’s purpose reaches beyond adding playground equipment. According to the hospital, the space is intended to support healing, joy and connection for children of all abilities.
More Ways to Join the Fun
Plans released when the gift was announced included elevated walkways and multilevel towers accessible to children using mobility devices, along with adaptive swings, inclusive climbing structures and slides. Those features would give children more ways to participate throughout the playground. Valley Children’s December announcement
The latest announcement also identifies sensory-friendly zones and shaded areas as elements of the project, providing options for children with different needs within the same play space.
At a hospital, those opportunities carry particular meaning. The project makes room for play in a place where appointments and treatment can occupy much of a family’s attention.
A Personal Connection Behind the Gift
For Table Mountain Rancheria Tribal Chairperson Michelle Heredia-Cordova, the donation reflects a personal connection to Valley Children’s.
In the hospital’s December announcement, she shared that her daughter, Alexandria, underwent heart surgery there just weeks after birth and continued returning for checkups. Heredia-Cordova also described the care other tribal families had received and the gratitude behind the gift.
“Every child deserves a place to play, grow, and heal, right here at home,” she said in that announcement. Valley Children’s Healthcare
That connection gives the planned playground a story beyond its construction: families who know the hospital’s importance helping create something for the children who follow.
The new play experience will expand the outdoor play options on the hospital campus. An opening date and details about access for the general public were not included in the groundbreaking announcement.