Resident Blake Geyen lauds University Place’s new Cirque Park inclusive playground

Blake Geyen, a University Place resident and parent, told the City Council during public comment that the newly built Cirque Park Inclusive Playground gives children with disabilities equal access to play and called the project “the safest, it’s the most inclusive, and it’s the very best we can give the children of our community.”

Geyen said the idea for the playground began with neighborhood families and moved through a community-driven planning process that the City Council supported. He told the council that “15% of all of our children qualify as disabled,” arguing many children are excluded from typical playgrounds unless the equipment and site are intentionally designed for accessibility.

Geyen introduced his six-year-old son, Corbin, who has a rare genetic condition called FOXG1 syndrome, and said he served on the playground’s planning committee. He described participating in equipment selection and prioritizing features that meet both therapeutic and social needs, saying the project’s design choices were guided by families and care providers.

Describing the project’s rollout, Geyen said the groundbreaking made it clear the playground was happening and praised the turnout of community members, donors and elected officials at the opening events. He described construction milestones — posts going in, pieces assembled and ground covering installed — and recounted demonstrations of accessible equipment that drew cheers.

Geyen pointed to specific accessibility features that he said make the playground usable for children with mobility impairments: a teeter-totter he can use independently, additional parking and easy access points, ramps, safe padding and new ADA-accessible restrooms. He said those features let his son “do as many things as he wants and move about and just be around his peers.”

He highlighted therapeutic benefits, saying the playground helps with balance and core strength through play and that equipment such as swings and a merry-go-round provide both physical practice and opportunities for interaction with other children. "The merry go round is great for him — he just rolls on super easy, throw his brakes on and then he can play with other kids," Geyen said.

Geyen closed by urging continued community support for inclusive facilities and expressed pride that the playground grew from local advocacy. The transcript of his remarks shows no council motion or vote tied to his comment.