Hoover, Alabama, is home to multiple playgrounds, but the EXPLORE Inclusive Playground takes the prize for the largest universal play space in the state! This 22,000 square-foot playground was designed to serve people of all ages and abilities, with fun ways to play and reconnect with nature.
The idea of making a community space available to everyone was extremely important to the City of Hoover, so they spent about two years researching, planning, and building this incredible play space. They visited over 15 playgrounds between Hoover, AL and Omaha, NE for inspiration, and held discovery meetings with user groups, school children, and service providers to make sure EXPLORE went beyond ADA requirements and truly served the community.
The EXPLORE Inclusive Playground consists of a 17-foot, multi-level, accessible treehouse, accessible musical instruments, sensory play activities, and multiple swings, slides, and climbers. The entire space is covered in poured-in-place rubber surfacing allowing easy and comfortable accessibility for all. The play environment also offers charging stations so users can plugin and recharge. Lastly, there are one of a kind American Sign Language tiles at the entrance to greet visitors with “Welcome to EXPLORE.”
This unique playground opened to the public on May 1, 2019, allowing the community to enjoy the special space during the warm weather season. Congratulations to Hoover, Alabama, on such an amazing, inclusive play space!
