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## Every Child Deserves the Right to Play

We are calling on the Whangārei District Council to support the development of an inclusive playground extension at Pohe Island featuring a wheelchair-accessible swing and wheelchair-accessible seesaw.

Disabled children and families deserve the same opportunities for play, recreation, social connection, and community participation as everybody else.

Yet across approximately 25 public playgrounds in the Whangārei District, only a very small number currently include meaningful accessible play equipment.

For many disabled children, the message has quietly become:
“You were not considered when this space was designed.”

That needs to change.

## This Is Not a Radical Proposal

Modern inclusive playground equipment is designed for everybody to use together.

No keys.
No segregation.
No “special playground.”

Just children playing side by side.

Children with Disability NZ has already helped deliver successful inclusive playground projects in Northland, including:

• A wheelchair-accessible swing installed in Waipū in 2023
• Northland’s first wheelchair-accessible seesaw installed at Raumanga Park in 2024

These installations have proven something important:
Inclusive equipment works.
It is used constantly.
It has not become a vandalism problem.
And it benefits the wider community, not just disabled families.

## Why This Matters

Play is not a luxury.

Play is essential for:
• childhood development
• physical activity
• confidence
• social connection
• inclusion
• mental wellbeing

When disabled children cannot access public playgrounds, they are excluded from one of the most important parts of community life.

The absence of accessible facilities does not mean there is no need.
It often means disabled families have historically been overlooked in planning and investment decisions.

## What We Are Asking For

We respectfully ask Whangārei District Council to:

• Reconsider support for the Pohe Island inclusive playground extension
• Recognise inclusive play as essential community infrastructure
• Work collaboratively with Children with Disability NZ and the wider community
• Ensure future playground developments include meaningful accessible play opportunities from the beginning — not as an afterthought

## A Community for Everyone

A truly inclusive city is not judged by how it treats the majority.

It is judged by whether everybody belongs.

Disabled children are part of this community.
Their families are part of this community.
And they deserve to be seen.

Please sign and share this petition to help create a more inclusive future for Whangārei.