Hernando Co. approves ADA-accessible playground after 2019 video showed child struggling to enjoy park
SPRING HILL, Fla. - A brand-new ADA-compliant playground will soon be constructed in Hernando County after a young girl brought the need to the attention of commissioners.
Last year, Danielle Zukoski shared a video of her daughter, Iris, struggling to get through the sandy playground at Anderson Snow Park in Spring Hill. Iris has cerebral palsy and gets around with the help of a walker.
In the social video, which Zukoski shared in an online petition on change.org, Iris is seen excitedly walking down a path toward a swing, but she's quickly met with a change in the landscape. The paved path ends and a sandy path begins, making it difficult for her to navigate with a walker.
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The county committed to making improvements, and on Tuesday, commissioners voted unanimously to approve the purchase of a new playground with ADA-accessible equipment, turf and mulch.
It'll cost about $190,000, and commissioners said they hope to have it completed by the end of 2020.
Iris Zukoski, who has cerebral palsy, struggled to access a playground using her walker