Brightening up the National Lekotek Center |
Our first project at the National Lekotek Center was inside the playrooms. They had just finished construction on a nice big blank wall. Here I am, figuring out what we have to measure while Debby takes pics of the walls to refer to later.
Lekotek and the Annixter Center are located at Clybourn & Armitage, in the Lincoln Park neighbourhood.
Their missions: "Lekotek uses interactive play experiences, and the learning that results, to promote the inclusion of children with special needs into family and community life." http://www.lekotek.org/
Anixter: to enhance the ability of individuals living with or at risk ofdisabilities to live, learn, work, and play in the community. At dozens of locations across greater Chicago, Anixter Center provides an array of innovative services to 5,000 children and adults with disabilities of all kinds. " http://www.anixter.org/
Right now they need letter-writing people to get on the horn and let the govenor know that their services matter ... check out their websites for links.
Their walls:
The nice peaceful side.
Then back to the busy play area, before and after ...
 
 Detaily bits at the end.
... and a bit more going on over here. You would not believe how many times I doonked my head on that ductwork and those pipes. Not Debby, oh no. She seems to learn from experience! She even found them useful as balance points and extra holding-on thingys. Me - I have to bang my head into it again.
Good to have a well-rounded team, huh?
So.
Maybe it was about 4-6months later that we came back to do the other side of the wall?
Which, funnily enough, was exactly the same height & width & everything, just all backwards. And with a completely different idea. AND - with volunteers helping.
So our first chunk of time was spent researching playgrounds, getting pics of kids playing, and figuring out how they all went together. Then we came back in (with the scaffold this time), Debby appreciating those pipes all over again, me not, and put in the background, projected up our drawings ... and let the fun begin!
Debby filling in the orange & getting those straight lines straight.
Everything all laid out ready to go ...
And guess what? Just like a soap opera, you'll have to wait for the next installment ... oo, the suspense!
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