Children and adults of all abilities to learn, laugh and play together at Pinecrest Gardens’ new wonderland
PINECREST, FL (2023) – To coincide with its 20-year anniversary, Pinecrest Gardens announced today the opening of its first-ever inclusive ADA-accessible playground with oversized animal-shaped play structures, an Inspiration Center for education and events, a Sensory Learning Garden, and an interactive Mini Zoo. These additions complete an extensive, multi-million-dollar Upper Garden Improvement Project commissioned in 2019 by the Village of Pinecrest’s council members.
“After much anticipation, we are thrilled to reveal the extraordinary transformation of our Upper Garden,” says new Director Cristina Blanco, who brings over 20 years of nonprofit management, leadership, marketing and fundraising experience to the historic venue. “Pinecrest Gardens is more than just a gathering spot for local residents. Visitors from around the world regularly explore our gardens, attend popular events like our jazz concert series, and feel a sense of connection with the community. We look forward to continually providing an environment where kids and adults of all abilities can feel inspired and welcomed.”
Each space is uniquely designed so that children of all ages can learn, laugh and play together regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities or need for wheelchairs and other assistive devices. Several of the new Upper Garden features include:
ADA-Accessible Playground & Toddler Space
The new playground combines art and nature through whimsical larger-than-life animal designs. Highlights include a vibrant Anole Lizard Ramp and Play Structure that allows visitors to access the playground using wheelchairs or other assistive devices; the Hillside Roller Slide which is wide enough for side-by-side fun and includes a unique exit for those who need to have a wheelchair or assistive mobility device waiting at the bottom; and a Spider Spinner that can be turned by kids inside on the deck or pushed by those on the outside and is completely wheelchair accessible too.
A swing set area includes traditional and more inclusive designs, such as a multi-child nest disc and a face-to-face partner swing. While a colorful Frog Play Structure is specially designed for two-to-five-year-old children and boasts balance-stepping lily pads. All parts of the Frog Play Structure are accessible from a standing or seated position and also include side-by-side common spaces to encourage inclusive play. Catty-corner to the frog is a xylophone for kids and adults to make music.
Learning and Sensory Garden:
The outdoor Sensory Learning Garden is an oasis for visitors to connect with nature through their five senses. The garden uses plants and hardscaping to create an immersive experience, providing young botanists with the opportunity to experience different textures, tastes and sounds, such as a velvety petal, a jagged rock, moist dirt and tiny seeds.
Inspiration Center:
The brand-new 2,253-square-foot Inspiration Center overlooks the gardens and Swan Lake. It’s a cool, indoor space perfect for a sensory respite after the fun of the Mini Zoo and playground. The multipurpose Center will be used for cultural events, educational activities such as field trips and adult education, and for events and wedding rentals. It houses an inaugural exhibition by photographer Annette Bonnier entitled “Reflections from the Shadows.”
Mini Zoo:
A new Mini Zoo encourages learning with a variety of animals from miniature donkeys and a cow to goats, pigs, chickens and rabbits. The Mini Zoo includes three interactive shelters, a large open space for the animals to roam and play freely, a barn to house the animals during storm events and a mountain made from boulders for goats to climb.
After an extensive, independent accessibility study of the historic property in 2010, Pinecrest Gardens worked to enhance accessibility, becoming 100% ADA compliant. Other improvements include expanded programming, an accessible picnic area, wheelchair-friendly nature trails, ADA-compliant restrooms next to the playground and a range of sensory features for all children and adults including those with cognitive abilities, wheelchairs or assistive devices.
The Upper Garden Improvement Project is made possible through the generous support of the Village of Pinecrest, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection through the Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP), Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Miami Association of Realtors, The Mas Family, The Village of Pinecrest Garden Club, and Garden Club member Barbara Pareira.
Pinecrest Gardens, located at 11000 Red Road, is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $5 per person, $3 for seniors 65+, and free for children under 2 and active military. For more information, visit www.pinecrestgardens.org.
ABOUT PINECREST GARDENS
Pinecrest Gardens attracts over 180,000 local and international visitors each year. Formerly Parrot Jungle, one of America’s most beloved tourist attractions, the Village of Pinecrest purchased this property in 2002, and in October 2011, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Pinecrest Gardens is a premier venue for the arts, education and environmental conservation and preservation. On any given day, one can experience a live performance from a 530-seat amphitheater, tour the 14 acres of botanical beauty that includes native forested wetland, tropical hardwood hammock and cypress slough or participate in a horticulture or conservation workshop. For more information, follow @PinecrestGardens on social media or visit www.pinecrestgardens.org.
