Jennifer Arnold cuts the ribbon on the new, inclusive Blueberry Hill School playground. State Rep. Brain Ashe, state Sen. Jacob Oliveria’s District Director Jennifer Pickering, schools Superintendent M. Martin O’Shea, principal David Allen, Select Board members Josh Levine, Mark Gold, Dan Zwirko, Select Board Chair Vineeth Hemavathi, Town Manager Lyn Simmons, School Committee Chair Nicile Choiniere and School Committee member Michaela Fitzgerald were on hand for the occasion.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen
LONGMEADOW — Play is essential for children to grow and learn. At Blueberry Hill School, all children are now able to play in a safe and inclusive environment.
“I don’t ever remember playgrounds looking this nice,” state Rep. Brian Ashe joked. He said the playground “really shows who we are as a town. We want our kids to be comfortable, we want them to be safe.”
Reminder Publishing photos by Sarah Heinonen
The new playground features a surface that is safe for wheelchairs, musical toy stations, and equipment that can be used by children of various abilities. Superintendent M. Martin O’Shea quoted Fitzgerald as pointing out that the playground is not just inclusive but also promotes teamwork and collaboration.
Select Board Chair Vineeth Hemavathi thanked several people, including Town Manager Lyn Simmons, O’Shea, DPW director Sean Van Dusen. He also thanked the Community Preservation Committee and the Capital Funding Committee, which helped fund the project, alongside money from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.
Hemavathi also thanked Jennifer and Joel Arnold, parents who advocated for the inclusive playgrounds for years. “We are forever grateful,” Hemavathi said. He shared, “I hope this experience has taught [children] that their voice matters.”
