Please join Friends of Wellington Park and Newton Parks, Recreation and Culture Department this SUNDAY, 11/19/23, for the grand opening of the new Sensory Dome play structure at Wellington Park! It will start at 2:30 pm with refreshments, followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayor Ruthanne Fuller at 3:00 pm. Other esteemed guests and donors will be there to celebrate with warm drinks and various snacks, kids’ crafts, and more! There even will be some musical entertainment from the City Hall Strummers ukulele group. All are welcome, and we hope to see you there!
Wellington Park was the site of this Fall’s Monarch Festival and an important parts of the Newton Pollinator Garden Tour sponsored by Newton Conservators. The park is located on Kilburn Road in West Newton which is not far from River and Cherry Streets only a few short blocks from downtown West Newton. Parking is available on nearby streets. Wellington Park also features an existing play structure (installed in 2000), extensive gardens, basketball and tennis courts, fields, walking paths with benches, and even Little Free Libraries for grownups and kids.
The new Sensory Dome play structure is unique in the area and was built with funding from the community and local businesses. Children (5-12 years of age) get a kick from the Sensory Dome: thrills, chills, and wonderous optic phenomena in a friendly, fun sensory playscape. The Sensory Dome features a rich variety of novel play activities that intrigue, retain and develop children of all abilities in play.
The huge nets are suspended vertically as well as horizontally to allow thrilling climbs and moments of quiet in meeting points. The age-appropriate development of muscles and motor skills when crawling, climbing and navigating through the netscapes of the Dome provides children with important play benefits such as strength, stability and confidence in moving. On the very top of the Dome, a grassy-surface meeting point offers a bouncy, fun-to-touch space to rest.
At ground level, nets sway when children climb above, creating playful movement and a sense of unity in players. The transparency of the Sensory Dome makes a space to engage in intense cooperation, consideration and communication across levels and activities.
At ground level, every activity is accessible and makes sense for all abilities. Inclined nets offer varied climbing and lying. Novel net-rollers add to the play experience with sensory-stimulating feelings when touching or lying on them. Thanks to their differently colored sides, the vertically suspended rollers allow children to create their own patterns and signals which encourage creativity.
A swaying, blue Hanging Pod is suspended from the nets and reflects the movements of the friends climbing in the nets above. The optic panels create a sense of wonder with their moiré-like visual effects, which encourage logical thinking.
Come check it out on Sunday under sunny skies!
