The
KIDS issue
a place to play
TOGETHER A new inclusive playground and adaptive upgrades across town parks foster connection for children and families of all abilities By Lau re n Rouse
Photography by J ohn Mi chael Si m pson
arcella Twamley
The Twamley family explores the Westwood Park playground on Dogwood Drive in Chapel Hill.
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chapelhillmagazine.com
January/February 2025
didn’t set out to transform the town’s parks. She just wanted both of her children to be able to play together. Marcella often navigated gravel parking lots and mulched barriers when taking her kids, Lydia Twamley, 7 and Cora Twamley, 4, to local playgrounds at the start of the pandemic. Uneven surfaces and the lack of accessible ramps made using strollers and mobility devices cumbersome. Marcella turned to social media to share her thoughts on the need for more inclusive outdoor spaces, and the post caught the attention of a neighbor, who encouraged her to serve on the town’s parks, greenways and recreation commission. “And that’s how it started,” Marcella says. She helped bring a bold vision to life with the design of an adaptive playground set to replace the outdated equipment