Every Child Deserves To Play: Wingate Playground Project Is In Motion

9-year-old Madilynn Gaertner loves the same things most kids do — hide-and-seek, climbing high and chasing friends across the playground. She’s bright, sassy, glitter-loving and determined to keep up. But unlike most children, she can’t access much of her school playground.

Wood chips stop her walker. The structure requires crawling, which becomes unsafe when other kids are running around her. She watches her friends climb and explore while she stays behind on the hard surfaces.

“I wish I could do everything,” she says.

At Canyon View Park in Grand Junction — one of the few playgrounds she can navigate — Madilynn climbs to the third level, races her brother Connor and explores independently. “I get to go up high,” she says proudly.

Madilynn and Connor Gaertner enjoy sharing a colorful bench at the playground. Photo by Morgan Gaertner.

But at school, it’s different.

“It makes me sad,” she says. “They leave me behind and don’t want to stay on the hard stuff.”

Connor, age 5, doesn’t see disability — he sees his sister and his favorite playmate. Connor wants to see playgrounds change. “[We need] hard ground so I can run and sis can play with me wherever I go,” he says. “And a bench so we can sit together when we’re tired.”

Madilynn’s parents, Morgan and Ryan, moved to Grand Junction for a more inclusive environment. They’ve found community here, but they’ve also seen how much work remains.

“She can climb and slide at Canyon View,” Morgan says. “But at Wingate, she misses out. She shouldn’t have to choose between independence and safety. No child should feel isolated.”

Wingate’s playground was built in 1982 and has seen few improvements since. Many children with disabilities cannot safely access it, leaving them out of the joy and developmental benefits of play.

But progress is underway.

Parents, teachers, neighbors and local businesses have united around a shared belief: every child deserves to play.

In 2024, Phase I added nearly 2,000 square feet of poured-in-place rubber surfacing, an adaptive swing and an accessible spinner — opening the playground to children who had long been sidelined.

In 2025, a new climbing structure was installed in honor of a former Wingate student. It’s more than equipment — it’s a tribute, a gathering place and a tool for cognitive, social and physical growth.

And the best part? Every child uses it. Inclusion benefits everyone. Wingate’s playground serves 15,911 nearby residents, including 1,844 community members with disabilities.

Phase I gave them access. Phase II (potentially in summer 2027) will give them experiences — more movement, more imagination, more joy.

Originally published in the spring 2026 issue of Spoke+Blossom.