A new playground in Saratoga County offers exciting opportunities for children living with special needs. Reporter Matt Hunter has the story.

MILTON, N.Y. – It was late last year when Krystyn LaBate first took her son to the town of Milton's old playground. Now three, Giovanni was born with two neurological disorders that left his mobility partially impaired.

"To see from his perspective all of the barriers that prevented him from playing on the equipment, it absolutely broke my heart,” said LaBate, who lives in Milton with her family. “No parent should have to go through that."

Believing the community needed a playground that welcomed children of all abilities, LaBate contacted Town Supervisor Dan Lewza.

"One of the things we wanted to accomplish is just to normalize being different," LaBate said.

"Every child has the right to be happy and be in a safe environment," Lewza said.

Less than 12 months after launching their effort, on Tuesday morning the town's new all-inclusive, handicap accessible playground welcomed its first eager guests.

"I actually made it a point to put on waterproof eye makeup today,” LaBate said. "This is just something I have been looking forward to for a very long time."

Costing more than $500,000, LaBate's own CMCD Foundation chipped in $35,000 with $175,000 coming from GameTime Equipment. It features a soft rubber surface, special swings, wheelchair accessible ramps and visually and audibly stimulating toys designed for kids with autism spectrum disorders.

"Nothing quite matches this playground,” Lewza said. “We are looking at a one-of-a-kind thing right now."

"It helps remove the barriers and teaches kids not to look at each other as having limitations but to all come together and play," said Elaine Houlihan, a CMCD Foundation board member whose four-year-old daughter plays with LeBate’s son.

If Tuesday's bevy of smiles are any indication, LaBate has done exactly what she set out to and created a place that welcomes all.

"This isn't something that should be a special project, this is something that should be the norm,” LaBate said. “This should be in every single community, no excuses."

The playground is located inside Milton’s Burgess Kimball Memorial Park on Woodthrush Court.