Mangalore: After Women, Now Special Kids Get their Exclusive Park
 
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (PS)
 
Mangalore, Dec 30: Four months after the opening of 'Vanitha Vana', an exclusive park for women at Lady Hill on August 22 this year, 'Chilipili', a park dedicated to special kids was inaugurated here on Friday December 30.

The park is spread over 35 cents area in the 3-acre Gandhinagar Park in the city.

'Chilipili' is a special gesture initiated by Gandhi Nagar Park Trustees for physically challenged children to give them an opportunity to enjoy a children's park on par with normal children.
 
The inaugural ceremony was held meaningfully with special kids taking the stage and sharing their thoughts about the new park. Harsha, Sharadhi and Pradeep expressed their eagerness to play in the park. Special children Nithyananda and Deekshith (both visually challenged) captivated the audience by staging ‘Babru Vahana’ skit, especially with their dialogue delivery, which was in the right pitch and tone.
 
Park trustee Prabha Kudva explained the way the idea of having an exclusive park for special kids came up and thanked all the people who were instrumental in realizing it, including the administration, private organization and donors among others.
 
Slides, fountain, swings, merry-go-round, rope climber, sea-saw and basketball court have been designed to allow these children gain easy access to them. The sand pit here has been placed at a higher level so that children on wheelchair can get easy access to it.

The park is open to children between 4.30 pm and 7.30 pm and will remain closed every Monday.
 
Zilla panchayat CEO Dr K N Vijayprakash, deputy mayor Geetha Nayak and others were present during the formal inauguration of the park. Smitha compered the programme.