Falls Road Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hadley's Park
Type	Urban park
Location	Potomac, Maryland, United States
Area	20 acres (0.081 km2)
Created	1999
Operated by	Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Status	Open all year

Falls Road Local Park, often called Hadley’s Park, is a fun park located in Potomac, Maryland. This park is about 20 acres big. It was bought by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) in 1986. The park has many fields for sports like soccer, baseball, and football. It's also a great spot for picnics and small community events.

In 1999, a special playground named Hadley’s Park was built within the larger park. This playground was designed so that all children, including those with special needs, could play there together.

What Makes Hadley's Park Special?

Hadley's Park has three cool play areas: a pirate ship, a frontier village, and a castle. It also has swing sets that are easy for everyone to use. There's a big picnic area too. The ground is a special soft, rubbery surface. This makes it easy for wheelchairs, walkers, bikes, scooters, and rollerblades to move around.

You'll also find colorful signs with games and challenges written in braille. This helps kids who can't see well to enjoy the park too!

How Hadley's Park Was Created

The idea for Hadley's Park came from Shelley Kramm, a mom living in Potomac, Maryland. Her daughter, Hadley, used a wheelchair. Shelley found that most playgrounds were hard for Hadley to use because of surfaces like gravel or woodchips.

In October 1996, Shelley started a non-profit group called Hadley's Park Incorporation. Their goal was to plan and build a playground that was easy for all children, especially those with special needs, to access. Hadley's Park was the first playground of its kind in Maryland. It was also one of the very first in the entire United States to be designed for kids with disabilities.

These personalized bricks line the walkways at Hadley's Park.

Building the playground needed a lot of money, about a million dollars! Shelley Kramm spent five years working hard to raise these funds. She talked to the Maryland General Assembly and Montgomery County officials. She also got money from fast-food chains.

Hadley's Park raised over $850,000 in total. They sold personalized bricks that now line the park's walkways. They also held a 5K race where many people, including those with special needs, took part. A silent auction helped raise more money too. Construction on the park began in September 1998.

The Park's Unique Design

The frontier village play area at Hadley's Park.

When Hadley’s Park opened in 1999, it featured a castle, a frontier village, and a pirate ship. Instead of using gravel or woodchips, the park used a special rubber surface. This surface covers a huge area, about 34,000 square feet! It's one of the largest "pour-in-place" play surfaces in the world.

This rubber surface is strong enough for wheelchairs and walkers. But it's also soft enough to protect kids if they fall. The park also has high edges, bright colors, and braille signs. These features help visually-impaired children play safely.

Underneath the rubber surface, there are two layers of porous material and a drainage system. This helps water flow away easily. One thing to know is that this rubber surface can get very hot in the summer sun.

Keeping the Park in Good Shape

The new interlocking playing surface at Hadley's Park.

Over time, the soft rubber surface started to wear out because so many kids used it every day. The areas under the swings were especially damaged. To keep everyone safe, some equipment had to be removed.

For a while, there wasn't enough money to fix the park. This made many local families upset because the park was so popular. But eventually, enough money was raised. A new surface was installed in 2009. This new surface uses interlocking squares, which makes it quicker and easier to install.

During this renovation, a large part of the castle playground was changed. It was replaced with a bigger picnic area for families to enjoy.

Hadley's Park Inspires Others

After Hadley’s Park was built, Shelley Kramm was asked to help create other similar parks. For example, she worked with Dulles Town Center to build a 4,000-square-foot park like Hadley's. Three more playgrounds were also created at schools in Maryland and in Talbot County, Maryland.

Her amazing work has inspired the creation of about 250 similar playgrounds all across the country!

Winding Down Hadley's Park Inc.

In 2003, Shelley Kramm began to close down her non-profit organization, Hadley’s Park. The park was built and inspiring others, so her main mission was complete.

A wide view of the original park.

Awards and Recognition

Shelley Kramm and Hadley's Park received many awards for their important work. These awards recognized their efforts in creating an inclusive playground for all children. Some of the honors include:

• October 1998: Potomac Chamber of Commerce, Citizen of the Year
• April 1999: J Hadassah, Myrtle Wreath Award
• January 2000: Montgomery County Foundation, Appreciation Honors Award
• June 2000: The ARC, Meritorious Service Award
• November 2000: Daughters of the American Revolution, Excellence in Community Service
• June 2001: WETA Hometown Heroes Recipient
• November 2001: Jewish Social Services, Jack L Lehrman-George M Pikser Award
• October 2003: Jewish Foundation of Group Homes, S. Robert Cohen Award
• 2005: Washingtonian Magazine, Washingtonian of the Year
• 2005: Exceptional Parent Magazine, Maxwell J Schliffer Award